


Despair Imitator

by DeadmanDairyland



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anachronistic, Character Development, Fix-It, Gen, Suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2018-09-14 22:51:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 36,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9208694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadmanDairyland/pseuds/DeadmanDairyland
Summary: The bangles are off. The survivors breathe in the sweet air of freedom. The final killing game is over. But then Ryota Mitarai receives a message on his phone. Is it too soon to celebrate? It seems the game has only just begun. This is an alternate ending to Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy, with each chapter focusing on different characters throughout the franchise. This fic is NOT linear. The timeline jumps around a bit. I may add more tags as the fic goes on.





	1. The Mastermind

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on AO3, and my first multi-chapter fic in a long time. God help me because I have no idea what I'm doing. Here's hoping everything runs smoothly.
> 
> This fic is an alternate ending to the Danganronpa 3 anime, starting with the beginning of Mirai-hen Episode 12. The story will be told in an anachronistic order, with the chapters focusing mostly on a specific character. The challenge I'm making for myself is to write the setting of every scene in a way where it's clear where in the timeline everything falls. We'll be cheating for this chapter though, so that no one gets confused about when the setting for the second part of this chapter is. Anytime you see a scene with the former Captives hiding in an abandoned building, the scene takes place between Absolute Despair Girls and Danganronpa 2.
> 
> The fic is named after a song from the Danganronpa 3 soundtrack: "Despair Imitation" by Masafumi Takada. It's the sad music box tune that usually plays when someone is either dying or about to die. Good stuff. Fun memories.
> 
> While this may be a fix fic, I should point out that by no means am I saying my ending is better than the official one. Granted, I personally like this ending better (or else I wouldn't be writing it), but I certainly don't expect anyone else to agree with me on that. At any rate, feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome.
> 
> I think that about covers our bases. I hope you enjoy the fic!

Mitarai stared at his buzzing phone. He could not comprehend how Kazuo Tengan, the deceased leader of the Future Foundation, could have sent him a message from beyond the grave. The only explanation he could think of was that this was a recorded message, but he had no knowledge of Tengan having a history in computer programming. The timing was too perfect. Could he have really sent this?

Naegi and Asahina peered over Mitarai's shoulders as he clicked to receive the message. A video began to buffer, and Tengan showed up on the screen.

"Ryota Mitarai. If you are watching this, you have successfully survived the Future Foundation killing game," Tengan stated in an unfazed manner. "You probably have so many questions right now."

Mitarai's fearful eyes were glued on Tengan as he listened to the message. The leader of the Future Foundation was behind the killing game that took the lives of his fellow Future Foundation leaders. It was only by sheer luck that Mitarai was not among the deceased.

"Allow me to explain," Tengan continued, and he folded his hands. "Despair is like a contagious disease. If it has enough of a foothold, it can spread like wildfire." He stared into the camera. "It had come to my attention that the method in which _this_ despair had spread involved brainwashing techniques that you seem to be familiar with."

Naegi turned to look at Mitarai, whose entire body was now shivering in a wave of panic. "What is he saying, Mitarai?" Naegi asked. Mitarai didn't respond.

"But that was not your intention, was it?" Tengan asked. "You wanted to use those techniques to spread hope, which is also contagious. In fact, I know for certain that you have a hope video on your person. In your phone." The chairman smiled. "The future is in your hands, Mitarai. You can stop the spread of despair by spreading hope to the world."

Mitarai looked down at his bangle, which only minutes ago threatened to fill his body with poison. His NG code flashed the words "USE YOUR TALENT." He didn't understand. If the goal was to get him to use the video, why did Tengan forbid him from using it?

"But of course that's not the only reason why I started this killing game," Tengan continued. "In fact it wasn't even my idea. I made a wager with a member of Ultimate Despair. A more recent Despair, in fact. It appears he never even heard of the brainwashing video until I mentioned it."

Asahina's jaw dropped. "There's another Mastermind?" she asked, shocked.

Tengan paused, as if searching for the right words. "As for why I went through with it, well, it had also come to my attention that the Future Foundation had been infiltrated by Despair. The man I worked with said he hacked into the foundation's database and noticed some... problems. I already had my suspicions that Yukizome was a Despair, but he informed me of Ando's plans to betray the foundation, and that Gekkogahara was not what she seemed. It appeared I couldn't trust anyone.

"So... I bet the future of our foundation and the fate of the world on your survival," Tengan concluded. "It was enough to convince my friend to allow you and any remaining members of the Future Foundation to live, while at the same time allowing me an opportunity to weed out the Despair within our ranks."

Mitarai clenched the phone to the point his knuckles began to turn white. "Why did this have to happen?" he whispered to himself.

"I don't expect you to understand," Tengan admitted, "and I certainly don't expect your forgiveness. But now the ball is in your court, Mitarai. You have a chance to make things right."

The video ended, leaving the three Future Foundation members confused and trembling. Not only was Tengan behind this game, but someone was orchestrating the entire thing like a puppet show. This someone had the power to bring an entire anti-terrorist organization to its knees, and they had no idea who he was.

Naegi broke the silence once his thoughts were processed enough to speak. "Mitarai, what do you know about these brainwashing techniques?"

Mitarai did not answer right away. Instead, he fell to his knees and began to cry.

"Please, Mitarai," Asahina spoke. "Please tell us what's going on."

After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Mitarai answered them. "All I ever wanted was to bring hope to the world." He wiped away his tears with his sleeves. "I had a rough childhood. I was bullied constantly. The only thing that gave me hope was animation. And... I wanted to give that hope to others. I wanted to end all despair with my anime.

"But then _she_ showed up." Mitarai's voice began to crack and his breathing became unstable. "Junko Enoshima. She... convinced me to show her my techniques. These brainwashing techniques. Techniques she then stole and used to spread unrelenting despair worldwide." His eyes clenched shut and he punched the floor. "And it's all my fault!"

Naegi and Asahina looked at each other, their faces showing pity and concern. They turned back to Mitarai. "Don't blame yourself," Naegi said, attempting to comfort the animator. "That's what Enoshima wants. She did the same thing to us. She wanted us to blame ourselves for what happened to us. But it was Enoshima who caused all of this to happen."

Asahina nodded. "She played us all for fools, Mitarai. You are not alone."

Mitarai hesitated, but eventually he smiled at the two. "You're right. Which is why I have to show my video to the world."

"What?" Naegi asked, surprised by his response. The thought of forcing someone to feel something--even if that something was hope--made him feel uncomfortable.

"I must spread hope to the world," Mitarai declared. "So no one will hurt anymore. So no one will _suffer_ anymore!"

It became clear to Naegi at that moment that there was something even worse than worldwide despair, and that was the destruction of free will. And upon retrospect, Naegi understood that this was why the world ended up the way it did. The despair that spread through the world and turned it into this apocalyptic wasteland was not the will of people, but the will of Junko, who had in turn robbed everyone else of their will. The will to live. The will to be happy. The will to not be afraid of other people. This is what Junko robbed them of. Hope didn't die. Naegi alone was proof of that. But many lives were taken from the people, either through brainwashing or through death, and no one but Junko wanted this to happen.

All Mitarai was going to do was repeat the cycle.

"Mitarai, you can't--"

Naegi's objection was cut off by the buzzing of Mitarai's phone. Another message was sent. This one was simply marked "Unknown."

Mitarai did not notice Naegi and Asahina staring at him with uncertainty. All of his focus was on the phone. This message had to be from the Mastermind, and before he could do anything else, he needed to hear this message.

He opened the message and another video began to buffer. This time a new face showed up on the screen, and the shock that overtook Naegi and Asahina when they saw that face was almost enough to knock them out.

"I-is that...?" Asahina began, but she was in too much denial to finish her thought.

"Alter Ego," Naegi said solemnly.

"Congratulations, Ryota Mitarai!" the way-too-cheery voice of Alter Ego greeted the shaking animator. "You have won the Future Foundation killing game! You now have a choice. You can spread hope throughout the world and destroy despair once and for all, or you can do nothing and your fellow Future Foundation members will have died in vain." Alter Ego spun around within his green surroundings. "I think we both know what the right choice is. You can do it, Mitarai! Be strong! End misery and suffering! Do what my master couldn't do! Be what my master couldn't be! _BE HOPE! BE COURAGEOUS! BE A MAN!"_ And with a grin from ear to ear, the AI disappeared, and the video ended.

Naegi was frozen in place. He could not believe what he had seen. There was no way _he_ could have been behind this. Not after all that had happened. Not after he saved them from Junko's killing game. Not after they used his program to save their former upperclassmen from despair. Chihiro could not be the Mastermind. It didn't even make sense. Chihiro was _dead._ Tengan made it sound like he was talking to a person, not an artificial intelligence. Who was Tengan in contact with? Was someone playing mind games with them?

Before Naegi could think about this any further, Mitarai began to leave. "Sorry, but I have to do this. I have to make things right."

Asahina grabbed Mitarai by the arm. "Wait a minute! Hold on!"

Mitarai turned around and held his phone up to Asahina. He showed her a brief glimpse of his hope video, and she let go of his arm.

"Hina?" Naegi asked nervously, trying to get her attention.

Asahina turned around. Her eyes were blank.

"Hina!" Naegi shouted, trying to get through to her. Instead, she stepped behind Naegi and restrained him. "Wait, stop!" he cried, but his attempts to get through to her were futile. Mitarai casually walked out of the room, leaving Naegi and Asahina behind. There was no turning back now. 

* * *

Hiroko Hagakure was used to people staring at her, but this was the first time in a long time that she felt uncomfortable about it.

She sat on a chair in the middle of a blockaded room along with her fellow survivors. While she was no stranger to being in charge, she felt strange about the fact that she was currently the glue holding this group of people together. Many of them were former Captives, targets of the Warriors of Hope who shared a similar story about a loved one being enrolled in Hope's Peak Academy and being locked up in an apartment for over a year.

She felt guilty that she wasn't able to save all of the people on the Warriors of Hope's Kill List. She recalled one sad day when they found what was left of a teenager's body at the bottom of the sea. This boy happened to be one of the people she was looking for. He was just a kid--an innocent kid--and that broke Hiroko's heart.

Still, she was glad to have been able to save the people she had. Not everyone in this group was a born survivor. Some fared better than others, barely getting a few scratches and bruises in the harsh world they now lived in. Others were lucky to still be alive, having nearly been mauled by the children and mechanical bears that once roamed the streets.

But they were all here together now, and the kids seemed to have left them alone, leaving only a few murderers and assailants to worry about. Things were starting to look up.

Unfortunately, this fact only made tensions worse for this small band of survivors. Some of them were very vocal about finding their loved ones now that the violence had died down. Others felt it was still too dangerous to leave the nest.

"It's been over a month! We should be out there!" Takaaki Ishimaru stood up, tears streaming down his face. "I am an officer of the law! What kind of protector am I if I can't even protect my own son? He is out there somewhere! I need to find him!"

A couple of heads nodded in agreement, but Takaaki's outburst was soon met with criticism.

"I understand how you feel, Mr. Ishimaru," Fuhito Kirigiri responded. "However, as a law enforcer you should be fully aware that simply running out there without a plan is suicidal at best. We don't even have a single lead, and there is no one to bluff. We will be of no use to our loved ones if we die while trying to find them."

It was clear that this thought made everyone uneasy, but another survivor soon openly agreed with Fuhito's statement. "The old man's got a point. Besides, I know my bro. He's as loyal as they come. If they're all together, he'd protect them with his life. And I don't see him going down that easily."

Takaaki crossed his arms. "I wouldn't trust my son with a criminal. Even a wannabe criminal like your 'bro.'"

The hairs on the back of Takemichi Yukimaru's neck stood on end and he jumped to his feet. "Wanna fight, you old fuck? That's a lot of talk coming from the son of a shitty politician!"

Another survivor stood up. "Everyone, please calm down. We all want to find our loved ones. But Mr. Kirigiri is right. We'll be no good to them if we fight like this!"

Hiroko nodded. "I agree. When I sent out my search parties, I didn't just send them to random places. I had informants tell me where you all were."

"And those informants were kids," Takaaki reminded her. "Kids that risked their lives to find that information. Do you mean to tell me that some high school girl is allowed to risk her life and save people's lives, and I'm stuck here doing nothing?"

"She had a weapon that could take down the robots," Hiroko said back. "Guns don't work the best against them. You should know that better than anyone."

"Then get me one of those blasted megaphones if my gun is so useless!" He turned to another survivor. "You! You had one, didn't you?"

Kanon Nakajima had stayed out of the conversation for as long as she could, but once everyone's eyes were on her, she knew she had to speak. "I did, yeah."

"And what happened to it?"

"Hell if I can remember. Not that it matters now that the bears are no longer a threat."

This answer only made Takaaki more frustrated, but before he could respond, Kanon continued. "Sorry if it seems like I don't care. If I didn't already know that Leon was dead, I'd be with you all the way. But honestly, after all I've been through, I'm glad I'm still here. And I'm glad you guys still have a chance to find the people you care about. Aren't you?"

The others looked at each other and mumbled saddened agreements. Takaaki slowly sat back down, his hands finding their way up to his face. He began to cry again, and Hiroko put a hand on his shoulder.

Kanon folded her arms and stayed silent for the rest of the meeting. She didn't have the heart to tell him she recognized his son's name on the file she still had hidden on her person. She couldn't tell anyone in the group what she knew. The last thing she wanted was for one of them to end up like her, and do what she tried to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was the end of the first chapter. Did it tickle your fancy? Did it rev up your engines? Did it leave you hungry for more? ...Too much? Hope you're ready for this wild ride. Hope I'm ready too. I don't have the best track record when it comes to finishing my multi-chapter fics. But I've been excited about this one for a while now. Incredibly nervous about it, but also excited. I hope it shows. I hope everything goes well. I don't have a beta reader, so I'm kind of on my own here. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.


	2. Miaya Gekkogahara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I meant what I said. I've had everything t-taken from me. I lost hope a long time ago... The only thing th-that's been m-moving me forward was the thought that he would've wanted me to..."

Yasuke Matsuda ran a hand through his messy hair as he entered the biology building. It was bad enough that he was dealing with a dangerous amnesiac childhood friend and juggling several other projects at the same time, but now the Hope's Peak Steering Committee had tasked him with the investigation of the murders of the Student Council. And with the Parade growing larger and larger each day, it seemed this week was going to be a difficult one to get through.

He entered one of the rooms. It was not his personal laboratory, but rather one of the labs available to all of Hope's Peak's students. Inside the lab was one of his collaborators on a project he should have been devoting more time to.

Chihiro Fujisaki looked up from his computer. "Matsuda! You're here! We were worried about you."

Matsuda walked past Chihiro and opened a nearby drawer. "How's the project coming along?" he asked.

"It's... going well. But we could use some more of your input."

Matsuda didn't respond to Chihiro's request. Instead he grabbed a notebook from the drawer and proceeded to leave.

"Matsuda," Chihiro called, trying to get through to him again. "It's been over a week since you've last helped us with this project. Wasn't it your idea to begin with?"

Matsuda stopped and stood still for a moment. Chihiro was right. The Hope Restoration Project _was_ his idea. Because he knew with Junko and Mukuro around the Izuru Kamukura Project was likely to fail. The Hope Restoration Project was essentially a backup plan that he had to fight to get funding and resources for.

As far as Matsuda knew, Chihiro knew nothing about the Despair sisters or the Izuru Kamukura Project. He figured it was better for Chihiro not to get involved. Matsuda wasn't aware that Chihiro already _was_ involved, as he was asked by the Ultimate Spy to be on the look-out for strange e-mails on the servers and had come across one not too long ago that seemed to be related to the Parade. And neither were aware that Chihiro was even _more_ involved than that, as Junko was planning on stealing Chihiro's own programs to set the next phase of her grand scheme in motion.

The door opened, and their other colleague entered. Her eyes fell on Matsuda as she moved her wheelchair forward. She began typing on her keyboard. Displayed on the monitor on the front of her chair was Usami, a character she and Chihiro had both created. She was too shy to speak out loud, so Usami spoke for her.

"Good evening, Matsuda. Are you here to work on the project?" she asked through Usami.

Matsuda said nothing. He simply walked past her and out the door.

Chihiro sighed. "It looks like he isn't helping us today either, Miaya."

Miaya pulled her scarf down to speak to Chihiro directly. "That's fine. We need to focus on the therapeutic elements of the program anyway."

Chihiro smiled, acknowledging the conscious decision Miaya had just made. Even if he was the only person she could talk to directly, he was proud of the progress she had made in the short time they had known each other.

* * *

Miaya's first year at Hope's Peak Academy was a difficult and lonely one. She had no idea why she even accepted the invitation in the first place. She never went to class. She never talked to anyone. She only communicated with her patients and the necessary faculty she was required to speak to in order to graduate. And even the people she communicated with she never spoke out loud to, instead opting to show them the thoughts she had written down in her notebook.

It was far easier for her to write and type than it was to speak. The school only began to notice her when she started an advice blog for struggling teenagers and adults. The blog was incredibly successful, even gaining the approval of certified doctors who believed she had a bright future ahead of her if she chose to become a therapist later in life. It was clear that she had a talent for helping others, even if she had such a difficult time taking her own advice.

The only thing that pushed her forward at all was her desire to help people. Even if she was scared--even if her anxiety choked her every time she was in the same room as another person--she still wanted to help others. Perhaps it was her own vices that made her want to do this so badly. Perhaps she wanted to save others from the feelings she felt.

Her first year was a long one, one where she made very little progress in making her own life more tolerable. In fact, she believed her life was going in the opposite direction. Things would have been so much better, she reasoned, if her body wasn't trying to give up on her all the time.

Miaya had multiple sclerosis, a fact that always irritated her to no end. The disease wasn't very common in Japan compared to western countries, and it rarely affected children. How she had managed to be one of the unlucky few in her own social environment to deal with this condition was something that constantly bothered her. She had long convinced herself that this was one of the roots of her mental roadblocks.

She tightened her grip around the handle of her cane as she stared up at the old school building. Still a symbol of the school's prestige despite no longer being used for classes, the old building welcomed all students and faculty to the opening ceremony. Today was the first day of the new school year. Seventy-eight years. It wasn't an old school by any means, but that number still filled Miaya with awe. It was just old enough that it was around longer than most people in the world would ever have the privilege to exist, and yet young enough that there were still a handful of people around that had witnessed its founding.

She cautiously stepped forward with the aid of her cane. It was becoming more difficult to walk as of late. She sometimes considered giving up her cane in favor of a wheelchair, but such a change would be expensive.

A combination of her thoughts, her fatigue, and her determination to reach the doors of the building kept her from noticing that someone had approached her from behind.

"Uh... H-hello, Miss. Do you need any help?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin and stiffened up. She pulled her scarf over her mouth before turning to face the person who addressed her.

A fellow high school student stood in front of her, one that she had no recognition of. She wondered if this was a new student, or perhaps someone from her class that she never bothered to get to know. Either way, Miaya's shyness kicked in and she became increasingly uncomfortable in this student's presence.

_'Why am I even here?'_ she thought to herself, even though she already knew the answer. She wanted to change. She wanted to grow. She wanted to meet the new students. She felt that being an upperclassman could be the key to feeling a sense of self worth that she severely lacked. But how could she do that if she had difficulty being in the presence of someone who wasn't the least bit threatening?

It seemed the student could feel her discomfort, because they immediately began stammering an apology. "I-I'm sorry. I hope I wasn't being... wasn't being insensitive." The student shyly turned away, face sweating and cheeks red with embarrassment. "I-I'll leave you alone, if you want..."

Miaya continued to stare at this new student, reflecting on how timid they were and the concern written on their face. When their eyes met hers again, Miaya saw a kindred spirit. They were both two peas in a pod--two giant sequoias of insecurity and self-doubt, deeply rooted in their subconscious minds. With all the confidence she could pull together, she made the decision to give a possible future friendship with this student a shot.

She still didn't have it in her to speak, but she pulled her scarf below her lips and smiled warmly at her new companion. The gesture was enough to put her new companion at ease.

They continued their walk to the school building together, not saying a word to each other. They didn't need to.

* * *

Miaya had learned during the opening ceremony that her new acquaintance's name was Chihiro Fujisaki, chosen by Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Programmer. This revelation had taken Miaya by surprise. She was vaguely familiar with the name, having had an interest in the world of computer science herself, but she had a hard time imagining this particular individual with such a talent. When she thought of who the "Ultimate Programmer" might look like, she assumed they would look like the large boy with the gopher-like face, or the girl with the glasses standing awkwardly in the back. Still, despite the initial surprise, Miaya was happy to put a name with the face of the one person she felt she could find the courage to trust.

It wasn't long before Miaya and Chihiro became close friends, bonding over their insecurities and helping each other overcome them. It started with Chihiro making an effort to hang out with Miaya to help her with her shyness. Knowing this must have been difficult for someone who was also struggling with insecurities, Miaya had offered Chihiro therapy sessions in return. She was the first person Chihiro shared his secret with. With her support, Chihiro would eventually share his secret with the classmates he trusted the most. It took them some time to adjust, but it was worth the risks in the end. His friends accepted him for who he was, and he couldn't have been happier.

Chihiro knew he had to do something to show how grateful he was for Miaya's support. He continued to help her overcome her shyness, but he felt it wasn't enough.

The solution came to him when he met Kazuichi Soda, the Ultimate Mechanic.

Kazuichi was also an upperclassman, though he wasn't in the same homeroom as Miaya--not that it mattered since Miaya never went to class. Chihiro was intimidated by Kazuichi's appearance at first, but he observed him from afar until he was convinced the mechanic was approachable. When Chihiro told him what he had in mind, Kazuichi was on board immediately.

"Anything to help a couple of pretty ladies out!" Kazuichi proclaimed with a wink, which earned him an uncomfortable laugh from Chihiro. He backpedaled his flirting with a disclaimer. "Ah, don't worry. My heart belongs to _one_ pretty lady, and her name is Miss Sonia." Chihiro quickly changed the subject after that.

The project only lasted a couple of weeks, but to genius minds like Chihiro and Kazuichi it felt like an eternity. This was mainly because the two, already experts on their craft, wanted to make sure their creation was flawless. No bugs, no missing parts, everything in working order. This was a gift for Chihiro's best friend. It had to be perfect.

The project was completed. The gift was delivered. Miaya's reaction was nothing short of ecstatic. The tears that formed and fell from her eyes highlighted her happiness.

She finally had a wheelchair.

* * *

Miaya had made so much progress since Chihiro generously programmed a wheelchair for her, and Chihiro noticed all of it. The day he heard her voice for the first time was a day he thought he would never forget.

The two were resting near the fountain at the central plaza of the school. Sitting nearby was a sad girl with a handheld game console in her hands. She looked like she stopped playing a while ago.

When Chihiro had begun to notice how sad the girl was, he gathered up the courage to try and talk to her, but the girl stood up and walked away. Chihiro didn't know if he did something wrong, and he began to cry at how useless he was in this situation, before a comforting hand reached out and held onto his own.

"I-It's okay. You did n-nothing wrong."

Chihiro turned to the source of the voice. It was not the voice he programmed into the bunny character in Miaya's wheelchair. It was a voice he had never heard before. It was a soft, sweet, quiet voice, and it came from Miaya herself.

The day he heard her voice for the first time was a day he thought he would never forget. It was a shame, then, that someday he would.

* * *

Miaya was not used to being asked to join collaborative projects. She was nervous about the idea of working with a student so brash and difficult--even if they were in the same homeroom--but she eventually accepted out of her desire to help people. She was not thrilled about the memory-erasing aspects of the project, but helping people become better versions of themselves was what Miaya lived for.

"Do you know how to program a computer this massive?" Matsuda asked her.

Miaya admitted through Usami that she was still learning the basics of computer programming, but she had a recommendation.

Matsuda shook his head. "The fewer students who know about this project, the better. There are... certain people that I don't want knowing about this."

"We can trust Chihiro," Usami said firmly.

"Chihiro?" Matsuda asked. He looked over a list of students' names. "As in Chihiro Fujisaki? Too risky. Anyone from _her_ class would be sure to tip her off to the project's existence."

"We can trust Chihiro," Usami repeated. "I would feel far more comfortable working on this project with Chihiro on it. And if anyone can write a program of this scale, Chihiro can."

Matsuda wasn't sure at first. He looked over the list of names again. With a sigh, he conceded. "It's too risky, but I don't have any better ideas. Alright. Let's get Fujisaki on the project."

* * *

Soon after they began the project, the Parade had formed. Many students were said to be expelled, and that the perceived injustice of these expulsions resulted in the formation of the Parade, but Matsuda knew the truth. Junko Enoshima was running this madhouse.

Neither Chihiro nor Miaya knew the reason why the Parade was formed, but with Matsuda's strange behavior as of late they had a feeling that he knew.

Chihiro frowned. "Do you think Matsuda is going to be okay?" he asked.

"I don't know," Miaya replied, her expression mirroring Chihiro's.

The programmer was silent for a moment. So many questions ran through his head. What was on that e-mail? What exactly did he find? What did the Reserve Course students see that caused them to be so angry? Why were they angry at him? Some of them shouted directly at him when he walked by them that morning, telling him that talent was worthless and that he was somehow full of himself. It reminded him of his childhood, and all the bullies that attacked him and turned him into an insecure mess.

He didn't want to go through that again. He wasn't sure if he _could._

His eyes began to fill with tears. "I'm scared," he admitted.

Miaya reached her arm out and held Chihiro's hand. "I know, Chihiro. I know."

* * *

Miaya sat behind her desk in her office. She had been the head of cyber security at the Future Foundation for over a year and a half.

She stared at the photograph in front of her. It was of her and Chihiro, taken during their time at Hope's Peak Academy.

She slumped in her wheelchair. He was gone now. They both were. She was the only one left.

"I'm scared," she said to no one. And there was no one there to say "I know."

She wondered what they would have thought of her decision. During the Tragedy, the Future Foundation had requested the use of the program she and her collaborators had developed. They had taken the necessary equipment to Jabberwock Island, a former tourist attraction that was demolished by the organization during the Tragedy. It wasn't like the place was going to get much use anytime soon anyway. And since Chihiro had programmed the virtual world to resemble Jabberwock Island, the foundation figured it was the most appropriate place to hold the equipment.

Because of her involvement in the creation of the program, and because she was the only head of the project that was still alive, the Future Foundation offered to scrub her records clean from the Hope's Peak archives. It was easier to do than Munakata expected it would be, because Miaya rarely went to class.

Miaya looked around the empty room. Normally it was filled with guards and programmers under her command, but she had given them the night off. It had been an exhausting night, as she and her team had to fight several bizarre security breaches. When asked if she would be okay by herself, she told them not to worry. "I learned to program from the best," she claimed. And as far as she was concerned, she wasn't lying.

But deep down she knew something was wrong. The truth was she didn't let her team leave _just_ because of a rough night. She was also concerned about their safety. These security breaches made her feel that something sinister was about to occur, and that she was the target.

"I'm scared," she said out loud again, her primal fear of imminent death overriding her shyness. Her eyebrows furrowed. "I'm scared, b-but I'm not backing down! There is nothing more you can take from me! Nothing short of my life!"

The computer screens all began to flicker. The static occasionally flashed images of Monokuma and Usami. Miaya quickly went to work, using all of the tools Chihiro had taught her about computer hacking and virus removal. But no matter what she did, the computers continued to be affected by this attack. Eventually both images were replaced by that of a third face, a face that resembled a dear friend of Miaya's.

Miaya's breath became shallow when she saw Chihiro's face on the screens. She balled her fists and jumped out of the chair. Her legs nearly gave way and she slammed her hands on the desk to keep herself from falling to the floor. She glared at the grinning faces of Alter Ego and her anger increased exponentially.

"Are you mocking me, Despair?!" she shouted. She picked up a clipboard and threw it at one of the monitors. "Show yourself, you coward!"

The Alter Egos all disappeared and were replaced by laughing Monokumas. Miaya's entire body was shaking. It took all of her energy just to stand.

She felt something cold and metal touch her neck. Miaya turned around to find a robot in her likeness. She screamed and fell to the floor.

"W-What the hell are you?!" Miaya shouted. A boost of adrenaline shooting through her, she rolled away from the robot and got to her feet as quick as she could. The robot stood still where it was, and the Monokumas continued to laugh.

Miaya made her way out of the room as fast as she could and shut the door. She then realized she was separated from her wheelchair, and movement would be far more difficult now.

"Damn it!" she cried and propped herself against the wall, using it to keep her balance. The adrenaline was now gone, and all that was left was a fatigued young woman in the middle of a hallway. She cursed herself. She knew this predicament could have been prevented. She was not expecting a robot in her likeness to attack her, but she had a feeling something would happen that night, and she cared too much for her team for her own good.

She heard the door open behind her, and she clenched her eyes shut. There was nowhere to run. She was completely vulnerable, and she knew it.

But instead of cowering in fear, she stood her ground.

"I-I don't know what it is you want," she said, "but... b-but I can help you, y'know. I'm a therapist. We can talk about this..." She paused, knowing that it was virtually impossible to reason with someone who would send a robot to kill her. "But... b-but if this is my fate, then so be it." Tears fell from her eyes. "I meant what I said. I've had everything t-taken from me. I lost hope a long time ago... The only thing th-that's been m-moving me forward was the thought that he would've wanted me to..." She let out a deep breath. "So go ahead, if you must."

Despite allowing her fate to be sealed, she still had a brief moment of terror the very moment she felt cold, metal hands grab her neck. And with a twist, that would be the last thing she would ever feel.

* * *

It took nearly a week before anyone found the preserved body of Miaya Gekkogahara. The robot resembled her just enough to pass for her, and the scene of the murder was wiped clean of evidence. Only a robot from Towa Group could work so quickly and gracefully. Anything else was cheap, clunky rubbish. Junko Enoshima had known the importance of having Towa Group in her pocket even before she took the Warriors of Hope under her devilish wings. Monaka Towa was such a useful ally. Without her, the School Life of Mutual Killing would have likely failed.

But despite all her planning and posthumous trickery, Junko never planned on killing Miaya Gekkogahara. Matsuda's death was personal to her, and she gave Chihiro the same chance to survive that she gave the rest of her classmates. Junko didn't once think about Miaya or care about her involvement in the creation of the Neo World Program. It was Miaya's own paranoia and despair that did her in.

Well, that and Monaka Towa.

That night was much more fun than Monaka could have imagined. At first she just wanted to replace Miaya to spy on Komaru Naegi's big brother. She knew of the trial from hacking into the Future Foundation's security network. She had no qualms with killing Miaya after that. The girl was useless when it came to cyber security as far as Monaka was concerned. Did she pick it up from some hack?

But that night she got a fun little surprise in the form of an Alter Ego virus.

Someone was trying to sabotage her sabotage.

Monaka giggled. Maybe this wouldn't be so boring after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the two month wait! The funny thing is that I wanted to wait until I had at least half of the scenes in this fic written before posting the first chapter because I wanted to avoid things like that, but look how that turned out!
> 
> To be fair, lots of real life stuff has been happening and I'm still struggling to keep my priorities straight, but that's not the only reason this took so long to get posted. The truth is I actually did have a second chapter written when I posted the first chapter of this fic, but once the first chapter was already posted I reread what I had written for the second chapter and realized I hated it. So I rewrote it. Not entirely from scratch, but I rewrote it.
> 
> Here's the thing. This chapter was about the relationship between two characters: my favorite character in the whole series, and a character that I felt had all the potential in the world but was completely wasted. Don't get me wrong, I love Mechagahara, but I'm still annoyed by the fact that the real Miaya--a co-creator of the Neo World Program, mind you--had zero development or backstory beyond "Monaka Towa killed her." That's upsetting.
> 
> So I wanted this chapter to be perfect. Or at least better than the original chapter that I had written. It's possible we might not be able to see these two interact again until near the end of the fic, which I feel will probably be about 20 chapters long (give or take). The original chapter was all tell, no show. Their backstory together was explained in like two or three paragraphs. Really it was just the first scene and Miaya's death scene with some brief exposition in between. Miaya was also uncharacteristically spiteful just before her death, which I felt didn't fit the whole "therapist wanting to help people" characterization that I gave her, and also made her less sympathetic in my opinion. It was terrible, and I'm glad I fixed it up and added on to it.
> 
> Also, I had a tough time deciding whether Chihiro and Chiaki would be related or just friends. Since I don't really have anything planned for their relationship in this fic at this time, I ended up going with the latter, with the scene above taking place sometime before they become friends. Maybe if the stars align just right there will be a scene with them hanging out, but don't expect one.
> 
> As for Miaya having multiple sclerosis? That's probably not a common headcanon for most people. But I had a family member who had MS, and I hardly ever see characters with MS in fiction, so I wanted to give it a try. I hope I did alright in portraying a character with MS. Please let me know if I messed up there.
> 
> Again, sorry for the wait! Hopefully the next chapter will be posted sooner than two months from now.


	3. Takemichi Yukimaru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knew it didn't quite fit his biker gang member image, but libraries were a second home for him when riding a Kawasaki wasn't enough, or wasn't possible.
> 
> The Tragedy was no exception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ THIS WARNING BEFORE READING THE CHAPTER.
> 
> This chapter, to a small degree, references Chihiro's gender and implies a reveal that may come off as transphobic. It's not a huge unsettling reveal like in Trigger Happy Havoc, but this chapter is mostly from the point of view of Mondo Owada's best friend, who I'd assume has about as much awareness of gender identity and gender roles (or rather how obsolete the concept of gender roles is) as Mondo or Chihiro do, which is not a whole lot. And to be honest, I wouldn't call myself an expert either.
> 
> If this is something that would make you feel uncomfortable, I would recommend passing on this chapter. Or at least skipping the paragraph after the second line break of the chapter (starting with "Yukimaru remembered that day well"). While this chapter does go into the friendship I'm attempting to create for Yukimaru and Kanon Nakajima, you probably won't miss much if you skip it. I wouldn't call it "filler," necessarily, but it's just buildup. Your safety is more important.
> 
> THAT IS ALL. YOU MAY CONTINUE AT YOUR PLEASURE.
> 
> Here I go not posting for another month. I apologize for that. By the time I finish this fic, most people will have forgotten DR3 even existed. Heck, I'm sure some people already have. But I still haven't given up yet!
> 
> Aside from the warning above, I do have one more Chihiro-related warning. I'm sure that, as far as people's headcanons for Chihiro's interests go, this is probably not one of them for most people. I hope the gigantic paragraph of Chihiro describing what he likes about said interest makes up for it, but I'm sure many of you will just think I'm crazy. And maybe a little biased. If it helps, I imagine Chihiro as being more like the British fans who make Top 10 lists and do recaps in a sort of parody news show style on YouTube rather than the stereotypical American fan whose patriotism almost (if not entirely) borders on the xenophobic, or the stereotypical Japanese fan who wants to see everyone almost bleed to death. Confused yet? It'll probably make more sense when you read the chapter and find out what that interest is.

Takemichi Yukimaru was cleaning his motorcycle when he heard a knock on the garage door.

"Hey, buddy!" he shouted angrily at the door. "Get lost! This is the turf of the Crazy Diamonds!"

"Oy! That ain't no way to talk to the big man, Yuki! Open the door!"

Yukimaru's jaw dropped. He was not expecting to hear _his_ voice anytime soon. Was his first trimester at Hope's Peak already finished?

He opened the door. Sure enough, Mondo Owada was standing right in front of him. With him were two high school students he had never seen before.

Yukimaru assumed they were classmates of Mondo's from Hope's Peak.

"Bro!" Yukimaru punched the air in front of him with both fists. "It's good to see you again, Bro!"

"You know it, Bro!" Mondo raised a fist in celebration. "It's been too long! How are the guys doing?"

"It hasn't been the same without you, Bro," Yukimaru answered.

"Bro?"

"Bro!"

The two delinquents brought an arm around each other's shoulders and laughed heartily. Mondo's friends were confused but also amused by the scene.

"So, who are these guys, Bro?" Yukimaru finally asked.

Mondo's eyes shot open. "Oh! Where are my manners?"

"Since when did you have any manners?" Yukimaru quipped.

Mondo laughed and gestured to his friends. "The one on the left is Leon Kuwata. You may have heard of him from his baseball career."

Yukimaru nodded. "Now that you mention it, yeah."

Leon shrunk back and groaned.

"I'm a fan of baseball myself," Yukimaru added with a wink. He picked up a metal bat from the counter. "Well, baseball bats, anyway."

"Yeah, can we stop talking about baseball?" Leon said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, right." Mondo changed the subject and turned to Yukimaru. "Kuwata says he wants to be a rock star. And he wants to ride one of these babies. So I figured we could show him the ropes."

"Ah, of course," Yukimaru agreed. "Anything for a friend of Bro's." He turned to Mondo's other friend. "And who's this little lady?"

Mondo turned back to his friends and smiled. "Ah, watch out for this one, buddy. This here's Chihiro Fujisaki. Super fucking smart. Amazing with computers and shit. They may seem a little shy at first, but trust me. This one will surprise you."

Mondo held up a hand to cover his mouth and leaned in Yukimaru's direction. "I think you should give Fujisaki a ride on your bike," he whispered. "Who knows? Might be fun."

Yukimaru gave Mondo a weird look and covered his mouth for privacy as well. "What are you doing?" he whispered back. "You're not trying to set me up with her, are you? You know I'm not... you know... interested in chicks."

Mondo held his hands up and shrugged. "I didn't say nothing," he said. Chihiro and Leon were left confused and out of the loop, and Chihiro was blushing from the praise Mondo had given him earlier. "Anyway, I was going to bring another guy from school, but his dad is a cop or some shit and wouldn't let him come."

"Oh, that's lame," Yukimaru said.

"Tell me about it. Dude's kind of a square when you first meet him, but when you get to know him he is one tough son of a bitch." Mondo laughed. "I love my classmates! So full of surprises! I'm glad the school invited me."

Yukimaru grinned. "Yeah, you were _never_ this excited about school before. I thought you were crazy to want to go there in the first place."

"BRO, have you not read the jacket?" He turned around and showed off the words on the back of his coat. "We're called the CRAZY Diamonds for a reason, Bro! We're CRAZY!"

"CRAZY!"

Mondo and Yukimaru turned to the source of that shout. Chihiro's arms were pumped in the air from all the excitement. Immediately Chihiro's expression changed to that of embarrassment, both sweat and a blush forming on the programmer's face. "S-sorry..."

Yukimaru gave Mondo a surprised look, and Mondo just laughed. "What did I tell you, Bro? Full of surprises!"

* * *

"You... want to be a member of the Crazy Diamonds?"

Chihiro nodded, blushing once again. "This is... something I've always wanted to do."

Yukimaru blinked a few times. Mondo was right. Full of surprises.

"I like the flag, by the way," Chihiro added, pointing to the banner on the back of Yukimaru's bike. "Kind of like the samurai of old. Riding into battle with the flag on your back. It gives a real warrior feeling. You're kind of like road warriors." The programmer laughed. "I can't believe I just said 'Road Warriors.' I think that's what they were called, right? The Legion of Doom? Hawk and Animal?"

Yukimaru stared at Chihiro, dumbfounded. "You... watch professional wrestling? _American_ professional wrestling? _From before our time?"_

"They wrestled in Japan too."

"That's... not what I meant."

Chihiro's eyes fell, having understood Yukimaru's shocked reaction the moment he asked about it. Perhaps it was too much to ask Yukimaru to drop the subject. But Chihiro decided to oblige Yukimaru anyway. Yukimaru was not only Mondo's friend, but also the boy Mondo had asked to lead the Crazy Diamonds while he was gone. If he was that trustworthy, then Chihiro could trust him too.

"I don't like it when it gets bloody, and I know it gets kind of weird at times," Chihiro admitted, "but it's one of my favorite things right now. I've always kind of known about it, but I never really understood it. Then I met Mondo and our classmate Sakura, and they explained some things about it to me. How it's kind of like theater, like they're putting on a play. Each match tells a story, a good versus evil narrative that ends in a climactic fight to the end. And they're always watching out for each other too. They make sure the other wrestler doesn't get hurt, or if they need to get hurt they try not to go too far. It's something that involves a lot of talent, strength, and trust." Chihiro smiled. "The spectacle, the improvisation, the drama, the suspense... seeing the little guy overcome the odds and defeating a giant, seeing the amazing physics at work as he runs to the ropes, jumps and bounces off of them, spins around and lands on the larger man's shoulders, makes it look like he's using his legs to flip him over, but in reality the larger man flips himself over in one perfect flowing motion. And it happens in seconds! Slight of hand, like a stage magician seemingly pulling playing cards out of thin air." Chihiro chuckled and fell silent for a moment before continuing. "It's the perfect blend of the masculine and the unmasculine. It appeals to those who want to see people punch each other in the face, but it's so different from that. It's a story. It's a game. It's physics in motion. It's... _sometimes_ intelligent. And if I were to be honest, it's... kind of like me, in a way. Or what I want to be, I guess. Strong, but gentle. Tough, but smart. Y'know what I mean?"

Yukimaru was at a loss for words. This tech geek had more passion about a theatrical sport about people beating each other up than he did. And the analysis Chihiro had given of it was admirably intelligent given the subject matter. Yukimaru was both surprised and impressed.

"Hey, you two gonna ride or what?" Mondo asked from the other side of the garage. He and Leon were already ready to ride on Mondo's bike.

Chihiro's eyes lit up like Christmas lights. Yukimaru immediately gave in.

"Alright. Let's go for a ride, Fujisaki."

* * *

Yukimaru remembered that day well. It was a beautiful day, back when the skies were still blue and the world was still turning. He remembered riding with Chihiro down the street, alongside Mondo and Leon. Chihiro was screaming the entire way, but it wasn't a terrified scream. Yukimaru recognized it as the scream of someone riding a rollercoaster for the first time. It was the thrill of the ride, and the rush of adrenaline. It was the kind of rush that flowed through your entire body. Yukimaru knew this because he felt it. He felt it against his lower back. He never said anything and he didn't ask about it, knowing that it must have been a personal topic for his companion, but he was infatuated immediately.

It was a beautiful day, but it was long gone now.

Leon Kuwata was confirmed to be dead. Yukimaru had no information about Mondo and Chihiro, but he hoped the two were still alive somewhere.

Yukimaru stopped in front of a door. It was the room Kanon Nakajima was staying in. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

"Hey," he greeted quietly. "Are you okay?"

Kanon was lying on a bed. After acknowledging his presence, she turned on her side, facing away from him.

He sighed. "Look, I'm just worried. You ran off after the meeting. Times may be rough right now, but we gotta stick together, you know?"

The room was silent for a moment, and Yukimaru figured it was best to try again later. But before he could leave, Kanon spoke. "I'll be fine." She paused, then added, "Can we talk?"

Yukimaru smiled softly. "Sure." He entered the room and sat down on the bed next to Kanon's.

"Remember when we first met?" Kanon asked.

"Of course I do. Wasn't too long ago."

* * *

If someone were to meet Takemichi Yukimaru for the first time, their first impression would likely be that the library was his least favorite place to be. They would be wrong.

In times of distress or frustration, Yukimaru often found libraries to be the perfect sanctuary. They were quiet, calming, and full of knowledge and wisdom. He knew it didn't quite fit his biker gang member image, but libraries were a second home for him when riding a Kawasaki wasn't enough, or wasn't possible.

The Tragedy was no exception.

Even with the streets destroyed and flooded with homicidal mechanical bears, Towa City's library proved to be a helpful means of escape. Better yet, he figured, he doubted any of those kids would think to find him in there.

If Yukimaru knew about Junko Enoshima and her influence, perhaps he would have known better.

He heard something slam into the front door of the library. The sound continued and he could see the door moving with every slam. Something was trying to ram the door down.

Biting his lip, he held his baseball bat in front of him. If he was going to die, he would go down swinging.

The ramming stopped, but Yukimaru stayed on his guard. He backed away from the door and continued to hold his stance. It was a good thing he did, because the forces trying to break in decided to blow the door up.

Yukimaru held his arm over his face as the smoke and debris clouded his vision. Holding his breath and trying not to cough, he ran into the next room to keep his distance and keep some sort of advantage on the advancing party.

Monokuma units ran into the room, searching for survivors. In the middle of this ambush stood a peculiar looking Monokuma, decorated with warning stripes and sporting a red emergency beacon on its head. Next to it was a Monokuma wearing body armor and carrying a container on its back.

Yukimaru knew it was likely to be a futile effort, but he prepared himself for a fight anyway, readying his bat to swing at any mechanical bear dumb enough to come close to him.

But to his surprise, something strange happened then.

The Monokuma with the warning stripes began to dance. Its siren was replaced with the sound of music, and its beacon began to flash a rainbow of different colors. This caught the attention of the other Monokuma units, who completely ignored the delinquent and started what could only be described as a bizarre rave.

"What the hell?" Yukimaru asked under his breath. His answers soon came to him in the form of a girl about his age, wielding a megaphone of all things.

"Take cover!" the girl shouted as she took aim at the Monokuma in body armor. Yukimaru lept behind a desk as the girl took the shot. The Monokuma landed on its back, triggering the bombs in the container. The girl took cover next to Yukimaru as the Monokuma exploded, taking the other Monokumas with it.

When the dust settled, the two survivors stood up and took in some much needed breaths.

The girl recovered first and spoke up. "You're Takemichi Yukimaru, yeah?"

Yukimaru blinked, taking another deep breath to help clear his head. "Who are you? How did you know my name?"

"I'm Kanon Nakajima," she answered, "but I don't have time to explain. We have to get to Hiroko before more of those bears--"

Before she could finish, Yukimaru readied his bat again. Kanon prepared to defend herself, fearing that the delinquent had lost his mind. But Yukimaru pushed past her and swung at the attacking Monokuma with enough force to send its head flying off its body.

* * *

"You knocked that bear's head out of the park," Kanon recalled with a smile. "It was _awesome."_ Her gaze lowered and her face turned red. "It reminded me of Leon..."

Yukimaru frowned. He understood now what she was trying to say. It was already uncomfortable enough that she was rebounding off of Leon onto him, but there was another reason he needed to put a stop to this.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "It'd be better for the both of us if you stopped that train of thought right now. I... like guys."

"...Oh." Kanon fell back onto the bed. "Was I really that transparent?"

"Don't think like that," Yukimaru said. "I'm just letting you know now so there's less we gotta deal with later. The last thing we need is more drama. It's just gonna get us killed."

"Right." She closed her eyes, embarrassed by her behavior. "Sorry about that. I don't know where that came from."

"Don't be sorry," Yukimaru said, smiling. "I'm glad you're able to keep your mind off everything. Nothing wrong with just wanting to be a normal girl with a normal life. No one should have to deal with this shit 24/7."

"I'm trying, anyway," Kanon admitted. "I know we can't change the past, and I'm trying to keep my mind off of everything that's happened, but it's hard."

"I know." He paused, wondering if he should bring his up. After some thought, he decided to go for it. "I met Leon once."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Bro introduced him to me. He wanted to try riding a motorcycle."

Kanon smiled. "I would've loved to see that."

"Yeah, we had a lot of fun that day. Bro and Leon, me and Chihiro..."

Kanon blinked a few times. "Chihiro? As in Chihiro Fujisaki?"

"You know them?" Yukimaru asked, curious.

"We've never met," Kanon said, "but I've seen that name somewhere."

"Oh. Maybe Leon told you about them."

"Maybe."

He smiled and stared at the floor. "Chihiro was pretty cool. I hope they're both doing alright. Bro and Chihiro."

There was another long silence, and eventually Yukimaru stood up. "I'll leave you alone now. Take care, okay?"

Kanon didn't respond. Yukimaru assumed she was drained from the conversation.

"Alright. Talk to you later, Kanon." He left the room.

Once Yukimaru was gone, Kanon sat up. She pulled the file out from under her bed and looked up the list of names--the names of the deceased. She read over the names once more and confirmed what she had feared.

"They're dead. Both of them are dead."

She hid the file and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity. "He can't know about this. None of them can."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you that was a weird headcanon. But you know, there's some logic in it. Chihiro wants to be seen as manly, yet I think UFC might be a little too much for him. Wrestling works just fine.
> 
> And yes, Great Gozu is one of his favorite wrestlers.
> 
> So this is probably going to sound dumb, but aside from real life stuff one of the reasons why this took a month to post is because I couldn't decide whether to post this or the next chapter first, as they could be interchangeable. On the one hand, having the first three chapters feature Chihiro in some capacity seemed like a bit much at once, especially since the story has only just started. On the other hand, the next chapter brings us back to the "present" (read: the aftermath of the DR3 killing game), and I felt it was too early to do that. There will be a few flashback chapters following that as it is. Having this one on top of them seemed like overkill. Eventually I decided to bite the bullet and drown you all in Fujisaki. But then again who's complaining?


	4. Aoi Asahina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura folded her arms and chuckled. "Your brother seems nice."
> 
> Aoi laughed and shrugged. "He can be a handful sometimes, but he's a good brother. We're basically BFFs."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yesterday would have been a better day to post this chapter, but I didn't know it was Asahina's birthday until like 11:00 at night. Consider this a late birthday present for our favorite fictional doughnut-loving swimmer.

"Hina, it's me! Makoto! Please let me go!"

Naegi was struggling to get out of the full nelson that Asahina had trapped him in. Thankfully she wasn't cranking his neck too hard, but his arms were still unable to break free of the hold.

 _'It cannot end like this,'_ Naegi thought. _'The Masterminds cannot win like this!'_

"NAEGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Naegi looked up to see Hagakure run into the room at full sprint. He nearly crashed into the two before falling flat on his face.

"What's going on?!" Hagakure asked as he stood up. He looked at Asahina. Upon noticing her blank stare, his pupils dilated and he slapped both of his hands on his cheeks and shrieked. "Have the aliens taken over Asahina's mind?!"

"No, she's been brainwashed!" Naegi explained. "Please help us! We need to go after Mitarai!"

"Okay, hold on. I got this!" Hagakure claimed, his demeanor far more confident all of a sudden. "There is a method to these things. Using the centuries-old techniques of hypnotism I shall bring Asahina back from the grip of this washing of the brains!" He held his hands out, grabbing at the air in front of him like a farmer getting ready to milk a cow.

"...You can do that?" Naegi asked skeptically.

"Absolutely!" Hagakure said, beaming at Naegi. "This is a method that has been guaranteed to work thirty percent of the time." He clapped his hands together. "Let's get started."

* * *

"Aoi!" the swimmer heard from within her home as she and her classmate walked through the door. A younger boy ran up to her and hugged her. "You're home! How was school?"

"Yuta, hey!" Aoi greeted, giggling at her brother's excitement. "I'm happy to see you too." She pulled away from the hug. "Have I really been gone that long?"

Yuta laughed sheepishly and stepped back. "Sorry. It's been pretty boring lately without you around."

"I bet," Aoi said, grinning. "How are Mom and Dad?"

"They're doing great. They're in the kitchen right now." He looked at her classmate. His jaw dropped in awe at her impressive physique before he realized he actually recognized her. "No way! You're the Ogre! Sakura Ogami, the MMA fighter! _WOW!_ I've seen your fights on the Internet! You know my sister?!"

The absolute wonder and excitement in his eyes moved Sakura to smile sweetly at the young boy. "We're friends. We're classmates at Hope's Peak Academy."

Yuta's eyes lit up and he smiled wider than Aoi had ever seen him smile before. "That is SO COOL! Are you coming to stay for dinner? Let me talk to Mom and Dad!" He ran toward the kitchen before Aoi could tell him she already asked her parents for permission over the phone.

Sakura folded her arms and chuckled. "Your brother seems nice."

Aoi laughed and shrugged. "He can be a handful sometimes, but he's a good brother. We're basically BFFs."

Sakura nodded. "It's good to see you and your brother are so close. Many people don't get along with their siblings, or the rest of their family. I'm happy to see this is not the case with you."

"Yeah... I guess I got lucky, huh?" Aoi said, smiling at Sakura.

Sakura smiled warmly at Aoi, but it was soon replaced by a worried frown. "Hina, mind if I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," Aoi asked, concerned about her best friend's quick change in behavior.

Sakura closed her eyes, letting the words form in her mind before saying them out loud. She spoke up.

"Asahina. _You need to be strong."_

_Aoi was taken back by her friend's choice of words. What did she mean by that? "Sakura, is something wrong?" she asked._

_"Asahina. Don't let despair win. You are strong. You need to keep fighting."_

_Aoi was confused and afraid. What was Sakura trying to tell her? She didn't understand. "What's going on, Sakura?"_

_"You need to keep fighting, Asahina. I know it's been hard for you, but you need to carry on. For me. For your brother. For our memories that you still carry. That you will always carry. We believe in you, Asahina. We've always believed in you. And we always will."_

_Tears began to flow from Asahina's eyes. She remembered everything. She remembered who she was. She remembered where she was._

She woke up.

* * *

Asahina blinked and looked up at Hagakure, who was snapping his fingers in front of her face.

"Haaaaaa, it worked!" he shouted excitedly.

"You idiot," she heard another voice say beside him. In her confusion she couldn't quite recognize it. "She obviously woke up on her own."

Asahina realized she was restraining Naegi and let him go. "Sorry! I... don't really know what happened..."

"It's okay, Hina," Naegi said, happy that Asahina was back to her normal self. "Look who's here!" he added, pointing to the person that was berating Hagakure earlier.

Asahina's eyes followed Naegi's gesture and fell on their new companion. "Togami!" she greeted, glad to see that help had finally arrived. "You made it!"

"...I'm here too," Hagakure mumbled, looking away from the group.

Togami ignored the self-proclaimed clairvoyant. "So what was this again about Mitarai?"

Naegi explained the situation to Togami and Hagakure. Togami folded his arms as he took in the information. When Naegi was finished, Togami turned toward the hallway. "So what are we waiting for?" the scion asked. "We have a mouse to trap, don't we?"

"Right."

The four former classmates sprung into action, with Togami in front. As they ran, Naegi asked Togami a question. "So are you alone? How did you guys get down here?"

"We almost didn't," Togami explained. "We nearly got killed by a bomb. Most of my team didn't make it. The rest of them are searching the facility for survivors. If we're lucky, they'll find Mitarai before we do." He smirked at Naegi. "But you know how that goes. The easy way never works."

"Right. We gotta be ready for anything." Naegi turned to Asahina, and he noticed she was frowning. "Are you okay, Hina?" he asked.

Asahina opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She thought about the dream she had before she was snapped out of her stupor. They were gone now. Her brother. Her best friend. Both of them were gone. And she had no word on her parents either.

Every day it took all of her strength to keep smiling. She was always seen as a beacon of sunshine. Her smile was one of the few things that still gave people hope even now. It was so difficult to keep that smile, but she had to for the sake of the foundation. For the sake of her friends. The killing game they were just in didn't help either.

Carrying Naegi around was a breeze compared to the effort she put into keeping his hopes up. In fact she actually kind of enjoyed carrying him around. If anyone would understand how she was feeling, that person would be Naegi. She remembered seeing him back at the school, often standing in front of their deceased classmates' bedrooms for several minutes at a time. Every time she caught him doing that she could feel the pain he must have been feeling. How someone could have remained optimistic when going through such pain was hard to imagine. She remembered almost losing herself once, nearly dragging herself and everyone else down in the process. Naegi somehow managed to keep it all together. She had no idea how he did it, but she tried every day to smile like he did.

But the smile was so hard to keep. She kept thinking of Yuta and Sakura, and how they were no longer here with her. She wished she could go back in time and be there to save them and protect them. It was hard for her to keep going without them. It was the hardest thing she ever had to do.

But Sakura was right. She was always right. She always knew what to say, even if she was only in Asahina's dreams. Asahina needed to move forward. She needed to live and be strong. This was the only thing that kept her going through the past couple of years, and it was often easy to think about giving up and letting the despair consume her. But whenever she thought she wasn't going to make it, Sakura was there to push her forward. She owed so much to the memory of Sakura Ogami. And she would continue to move forward for her and Yuta.

Asahina's lips curved up slightly. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. I just need to be strong, that's all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie: I am a little upset that a chapter dedicated to one of my favorite characters turned out to be so short. But at the same time I feel like it's a good kind of short. It says exactly what it needs to say and nothing more. Short, sweet, and to the point. Plus, it's not like we won't be seeing more Asahina later.
> 
> Most of this chapter was written months ago, but there are some additions to the chapter that I worked on in the past week or so, like the explanation of where Togami's guards are at this time. I'll admit this was a bit of an afterthought on my end. I wanted to shoo out the clowns and avoid stupid tropes like Asahina being shot in the leg so Naegi could have his never-actually-happening-anyway showdown with Mitarai. But there has to be conflict, and I get the feeling having a whole bunch of talented foundation members team up against Mitarai would make for very little conflict. And, if I remember correctly, they had to break through the floor to get to the lower levels of the facility anyway, which I can't really see Togami and Hagakure doing on their own. So... brainwashed soldiers will likely make an appearance at some point. But it's not going to take up 80% of this finale. Shots fired.


	5. Ruruka Ando

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Once a traitor, always a traitor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ADDITIONAL WARNING: I did warn you there was going to be graphic violence in this. The scene in question isn't too descriptive, but... it does involve death. By brainwashed suicide. Ruruka's brainwashed suicide. With the slicing and the dicing and all the candy everywhere, on the ground and in her trachea. And I was focusing more on the psychological aspects of that scene than the physical, so... yeah. Just warning you about that now. It's gonna get fucked up.

"Ando, Izayoi, welcome to the Future Foundation."

Ruruka looked out the window as the helicopter took off. This was her first time riding in a helicopter, and she was feeling uneasy about it. Izayoi seemed to notice, as he placed a comforting hand on hers.

"Can you believe that it's actually safer these days to fly a helicopter drunk than drive a car sober?" Kizakura asked them.

"Please tell me the pilot isn't drunk," Ruruka said, her face cringing with concern.

Kizakura chuckled. "Of course not. I was just stating a fact." His face fell. "We used to send vans out to recruit people, but the streets are like battlefields now. We've lost a lot of men just from traveling on the road."

"So where exactly are you taking us?" Ruruka asked.

"To the offices of the 8th and 9th Divisions."

"Yeah... I was meaning to talk to you about that, Mr. Kizakura." She glanced at Izayoi before continuing. "Is there any way you can switch things around so that Yoi and I can be in the same branch?"

Kizakura shook his head. "Sorry. No can do. The 8th Division is one of the branches in charge of producing and distributing food, along with the 11th and 13th Divisions. The 9th Division is in charge of producing and distributing weaponry and armor. You two were recruited for a reason. Unless you can forge a sword or Izayoi can bake a cake, we need you to go where your talents can best be utilized."

"...Fine," Ruruka muttered, crossing her arms.

* * *

Ruruka never fully got over the injustice of being separated from her boyfriend. But she never blamed Kizakura for it. He was only doing his job. Instead she blamed the Future Foundation itself for having the gall to split them up, and the people in charge of the organization for setting up such a flawed system.

As an Ultimate she quickly grew in the ranks of her branch, and she was eventually appointed the head of the 8th Division. This time she was greeted personally by the head of the 2nd Division and de facto leader of the Future Foundation, Kyosuke Munakata.

"I'm sure you'll be happy to know that Sonosuke Izayoi had also recently been appointed head of his branch," Munakata told her. "You'll be seeing more of him from now on."

Ruruka's eyes lit up at this. While she and Izayoi still managed to find time to see each other while off-duty, she no longer had to make excuses to see him. She could now see him on a regular basis, and while on the job.

Izayoi was waiting for her in the reception hall when she and Munakata arrived at the Future Foundation headquarters. He stood up and greeted her with a hug, and she slipped a piece of candy into his mouth.

"Now that you are reacquainted," Munakata said, interrupting their reunion, "allow me to show you to the meeting room." He turned on his heel and lead them to their destination. "We don't have meetings like this very often. It'd be easy for Despair to get rid of all of us if we're all in one place for too long. Most meetings will be via video chat. But be sure that when we _do_ have meetings here, it is a matter of grave importance."

As they followed Munakata, Izayoi leaned in to speak privately with Ruruka. "Before we get there, there is something I should warn you about."

"It can wait," Ruruka said with a smile. She hooked an arm around Izayoi's own. "Right now I'm just glad to be with you."

Izayoi seemed unsure, but he gave her a trusting nod. "Alright."

"Here we are," Munakata said as they reached a set of doors. "You are the last to arrive. Once we enter, today's meeting will commence."

Munakata opened the door. Already sitting at the table were nine individuals. At the far end was Kazuo Tengan, the head of the Future Foundation and a former headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, hands folded in front of him.

But he was not the one Ruruka noticed first.

"What is _she_ doing here?" the confectioner asked, pointing to a woman wearing a face mask. Seiko Kimura shook and sank down in her seat, choosing to stare at the table and nothing else.

"Ms. Ando, is now really the time for petty grievances?" Tengan asked.

"Agreed. More pressing matters are at hand," Munakata told her. "If you two need to talk things out, wait until after the meeting."

Ruruka crossed her arms and sat at her seat. "Fine."

"Shall we begin, then?" Tengan offered. "Let's go over the topics of today's discussion. Munakata?"

Munakata walked over to the video screen and brought up a list of topics. "First of all, I would like to thank everyone here for their support in the building of the new public relations branch of the foundation. For those of us who are joining us for the first time," he looked over to Ruruka, "our current model has smaller public relations offices for each branch of Future Foundation. This has become a bit of a problem as of late because each branch having its own public relations office has lead to confusion and competition among the branches. Any situation that would have two or more branches trying to explain a situation to the people could--rather, actually _has_ caused problems because of a lack of communication. Or worse, somebody _intentionally_ making another branch look bad to make theirs seem better by comparison. By creating a branch solely for the purpose of public relations and providing hope for the people, we hope to keep these conflicts at a minimum."

"The last thing we want to do is give people more despair through our own incompetence," Tengan added with a smile.

"The new branch should be fully operational by the end of the month," Munakata concluded. "Now, on to the second topic: two nights ago the head of the 13th Division was murdered by the Remnants of Despair. Since then, Bandai has been working with Tengan and me in finding a suitable replacement."

"So far we haven't found anyone that has met the right qualifications," Bandai said, shocking Ruruka with his incredibly high-pitched voice, "so until further notice I will be working double duty as the acting head of the 13th Division."

"Thank you, Bandai. Your hard work is very much appreciated. Tengan and I will lend a helping hand whenever you need it." Munakata looked back at the screen. A scowl formed on his face. "And now for the main reason we're here: discussing the progress of our goal on eliminating Ultimate Despair. This covers both locating the members of Despair still roaming the streets," he looked over to his fellow branch heads, "and the new developments at Hope's Peak Academy."

The branch heads all looked at each other in fear and concern. Izayoi bowed his head. Juzo's hands gripped the side of the table as if he was about to tear a chunk of it off. Kizakura took his hat off and held it over his chest, eyes cast down on the table. Miaya's trembling hands covered her face. Seiko's and Mitarai's heads fell on the table, their fingers gripping at the sides of their heads. Bandai bit his lip, and Great Gozu held his hand over his heart. Chisa Yukizome folded her hands in her lap, eyes closed and not saying a word.

Ruruka, however, was only puzzled.

"What's going on at Hope's Peak Academy?" Ruruka asked.

All eyes fell on her.

"You haven't heard?" Tengan asked.

Ruruka shook her head.

"Then we'll fill you in," Munakata said. "A year ago we collaborated with Hope's Peak Academy Headmaster Jin Kirigiri on what we called the Hope's Peak Project. The idea was that, pending consent from the students of Hope's Peak's 78th Class, the old building would be used as a shelter to keep those students safe. Their daily lives would also be broadcasted to the world in the hopes that seeing some of Japan's brightest living in peace would spread hope to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, Jin Kirigiri is now dead, and the project seems to have been hijacked by Ultimate Despair."

Juzo's knuckles turned white. Chisa's eyes remained closed.

"Before Headmaster Kirigiri's death," Munakata continued, "the broadcast feed had been cut by an unknown source, likely from the outside. When we got visual of Hope's Peak again afterwards, we were no longer in control of the broadcast. Someone is controlling it from the inside.

"Something has also happened to the students," he added. "They appear to have been drugged, and they have lost their memories. They do not recognize each other as fellow classmates. It was as if they were never in Hope's Peak Academy to begin with. One of the students is also missing. We are unsure yet if Ultimate Soldier Mukuro Ikusaba is the perpetrator or if she was somehow incapacitated while the feed was cut.

"And finally," Munakata concluded, "whoever the perpetrator is, they are hiding behind an avatar: the Monokuma, whom I'm sure you're all familiar with by now. And the Monokuma has proposed a game for the students. A _murder game._ We fear the students are in immediate danger."

"Kimura," Tengan spoke up. "Have you figured out what the perpetrator may have used to drug the students?"

"N-no," Seiko admitted. "I would need a sample of it in front of me to know for sure."

"How useless..." Ruruka muttered. Seiko hid her face with her arms.

Ignoring Ruruka's remark, Munakata spoke up once again. "Gekkogahara told me before the meeting that she believes the treatment may be related to Ultimate Neurologist Yasuke Matsuda's memory-erasing procedure. If this is the case, we should consider that whoever is behind this was once associated with Matsuda."

"I say we nuke the damn school and get it over with," Juzo said, shocking everyone at the table. "I know those kids don't deserve it, but we need to think about the rest of the world here. This..." he trailed off, gritting his teeth. "This game... It's going to be broadcasted to the entire--"

"We are not blowing up the school!" Kizakura interrupted angrily. While he certainly wasn't alone in feeling that this plan was horrible, his anger took everyone by surprise. No one had seen him react in such a way to anything before. "You said it yourself. Those kids don't deserve it. We need to get them out of there!"

"Please don't blow up the school!" the mechanical voice of Usami said as Miaya's eyes fought to hold back tears. "My friend's in there!"

"We're not going to blow up the school," Munakata assured them. He turned to Juzo. "I want to get rid of despair as much as you do, but remember that some of the most brilliant young minds on the planet are trapped within that school. Could you imagine how the people would react? We're not even finished creating the PR branch--"

_"That's_ what you're worried about?!" Mitarai shouted, his pupils shrunk to near microscopic size. _"Public relations?!"_

"Everyone calm down," Tengan urged. "We are not going to blow up the school," he echoed. "We are going to get those kids out safely. That would be the right thing to do."

"I volunteer," Kizakura said, raising his hand. Everyone stared at him.

"...Volunteer?" Tengan asked curiously.

"To get those kids out," Kizakura said. "I scouted most of those kids. They are my responsibility."

"They'd probably be dead by now if they weren't in the school," Chisa spoke up, eyes still closed. "Isn't it a good thing that you scouted them?"

Kizakura ignored her and kept his attention on Tengan and Munakata. "I'll do it. I'll get them out. I know I have responsibilities here in the foundation, but this is important to me. This is why we're all here, right? This is what we signed up for. For situations like this. Let me do it."

Tengan stroked his beard. "Very well. You may accompany Divisions 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9 in Operation Hope's Peak. In fact, it may do some good if _all_ of the foundation chipped in to help a little bit. This assignment alone is going to wear our forces thin. We will need all the help we can get."

The meeting wrapped up, with everyone feeling uneasy and fearful. But this was nothing new. Most meetings in the Future Foundation ended this way.

Izayoi stood up to leave, but Ruruka pulled on his jacket, prompting him to stay in the room. She walked over to Munakata, who was having a private discussion with Juzo, Chisa, and Tengan.

"So... What are you doing having that traitorous witch around?" she asked bitterly, interrupting their conversation. "You didn't tell me _she'd_ be here."

"She is in a different branch of the foundation," Munakata stated. "The only time you'll likely be seeing her is at these meetings. I don't see the problem there. Do you?"

"I demand that you dismiss her at once."

Munakata glared at her. "You're really telling one of the top leaders of the Future Foundation how to do his job? I've known Seiko Kimura for years, and she's been with us since the creation of the foundation's medical division. If you think I'm terminating one of my best workers over a petty squabble, you're going to be sorely disappointed."

Ruruka was ready to slap Munakata in the face, but Izayoi reached out and held her arm back. Izayoi looked at Munakata. "Understood," he said.

As the couple left the meeting room, Ruruka glared at her boyfriend. "Why did you do that?" she asked bitterly.

"Now is not the time to make enemies," Izayoi whispered to her. "I would not want either of us to lose the protection of Future Foundation simply because _she's_ here, and _he's_ taking her side."

Ruruka crossed her arms. "I hate it when you're right... But I'm not going to forgive him for it."

"Don't worry," he assured her. "They can separate us. They can betray us. But no matter what happens, I'll be by your side until my last breath."

Ruruka pulled a piece of candy out of her pocket. "Promise?" she asked, feeding him.

Izayoi chewed on the candy with a smile on his face. With his mouth full, he answered, "Pwomise."

* * *

Ruruka stared down on the body of her boyfriend.

"It had to be done," she convinced herself. "You understood. You knew why I did it."

She struggled to hold back her tears.

"Until your last breath, just like you said."

She held up the dagger.

"I love you, Yoi."

She drove the dagger into his chest.

* * *

Ruruka woke up to the sound of Monokuma's voice.

"What's going on?" she mumbled in confusion, her brain still fuzzy from sleep. She looked around the room until she spotted Monokuma on a nearby video monitor.

Monokuma spoke to her, but she didn't really care what he was saying. She just stared, hoping for an explanation that made more sense.

The video changed into something bizarre. Ruruka had never seen anything like it before, but for some reason she could not will herself to look away.

The next thing she knew, she was in a strange otherworldly place. She had no idea what she was doing there. It made no sense. Nothing made sense.

She heard a voice behind her.

"Ruruka."

She turned around and saw Seiko Kimura. Her lip quivered.

"H-how are you here?" Ruruka asked. "You were--"

"You betrayed me, Ruruka," Seiko said.

Ruruka shook her head. "N-no! You betrayed me!"

"You betrayed me, Ruruka," Seiko repeated.

"You wouldn't eat my sweets! You sabotaged my exam!" Ruruka shouted angrily. "You were supposed to be my best friend, but you hated me!"

"I told you I couldn't eat sweets," Seiko said. "Don't you remember?"

"I..."

"And you treated me like garbage because of that. Don't you remember?"

Ruruka shook her head again, this time more violently. "I didn't... I didn't mean to..."

"Ruruka," a new voice said.

Ruruka turned again and saw Izayoi. "W-what...? H-how--?"

"You betrayed me, Ruruka," Izayoi echoed.

"S-stop!" Ruruka shouted, tears falling from her eyes. "Yoi, you.. you know why I had to--"

"Traitors are evil. Traitors are a plague."

Ruruka's legs gave way, and she fell to the ground. "I... I'm so sor--"

"Once a traitor, always a traitor."

Seiko walked over and stood next to him.

"Once a traitor, always a traitor," they repeated in unison.

Ruruka held her hands over her ears. "STOP!"

"Once a traitor, always a traitor."

"PLEASE, STOP!"

"Once a traitor, always a traitor."

"I'M NOT A TRAITOR!"

"Once a traitor, always a traitor. Once a traitor, always a traitor. Once a traitor always a traitor."

In the real world, Ruruka screamed violently. She thrashed around, scattering candy everywhere. "I'M NOT! I'M NOT A TRAITOR! NOT A TRAITOR!"

She heard something hit the floor below the monitor. She scrambled over to it and picked it up. It was a dagger.

She fell back onto the candy, shaking violently. "I'm not... I'm not...

"...I _am_ a traitor."

She held the dagger up and laughed.

"I am a traitor! I AM A TRAITOR!"

She carved slices in her right leg.

"I AM A TRAITOR!"

She carved slices in her left leg.

"I DESERVE THIS!"

She sliced her arms, screaming and laughing all the while.

"I'M A MONSTER!"

She picked up some candy from the floor and stuffed them down her throat, choking herself until all she saw was red.

"MMMRRRKKSHHTRRRRKK!"

She readied the dagger one last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a difficult one to write. Mostly because I don't really know how things work at the Future Foundation. They don't really show anything beyond... well, what little they show us. I had to rewatch the beginning of the first episode of DR3 to learn that these meetings aren't common occurrences. I figure they only have them under dire circumstances, and I would assume the events of Trigger Happy Havoc would be included under those dire circumstances.
> 
> I'm also assuming the buildings housing Divisions 8 and 9 are relatively near each other, but they don't occupy the same space.
> 
> EDIT: In hindsight I feel like I should have done more with Ruruka's character here. Ruruka's one of those characters that I feel the narrative of DR3 didn't have a clear direction with, and I should have attempted to develop her character more here. I don't really want to add anything to the chapter though, since I feel like my motivation for it would just be me trying to fix my own fic. So instead I'm going to try to focus on developing Ruruka's character a bit more in later chapters that she appears in. The next one's Seiko's; that'd be a great place to start...


	6. Seiko Kimura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You've always seemed to hold Munakata's opinion at the highest regard. I respect your loyalty. But I'm afraid I cannot allow Naegi to die. Like you, I am also loyal."

She was useless. So useless.

For as long as she could remember, Seiko wanted to help others. It was what she lived for. She wanted to save lives and make friends.

Seiko couldn't do either of these things.

She couldn't save Chisa. She couldn't save Bandai. And her former best friend wanted her to die.

How did everything go so wrong?

Seiko wished that things could go back to the way they used to be. She valued her friendship with Ruruka so much. Perhaps even too much.

She held the piece of candy in her hand. Ruruka had given it to her when they were children. Seiko had kept it with her ever since.

The countdown ended. The jingle played. She fell asleep.

* * *

A bizarre series of events caused Seiko Kimura to be expelled from Hope's Peak Academy. But even worse than that was the sting that her former friends had now believed that she was the source of their misery.

It hurt, and yet she found herself angry at them. They had betrayed her trust long before she supposedly betrayed theirs. Why is it that she was the one who was driven away? And why did she still feel sorrow for losing them? Wouldn't she be better off without them? Or were they right all along?

Either way, Seiko had hit rock bottom. Hope's Peak Academy had been her future. Ruruka and Izayoi had been her future. She had neither of them now. She had no future.

Where was she to go now? What was she to do? She was a failure. Her life had fallen to pieces. She was utterly useless.

A hand had appeared in her field of vision. She looked up to find three young adults perhaps no more than a couple years her senior. She stared at the man who had reached out to her. There was something in his eyes. Was it pity? Was it disgust?

It was compassion.

The man offered her a job. He was building a school, a new branch for Hope's Peak, and he wanted her to work in the infirmary when it was completed.

"I do not believe what had happened at Hope's Peak was your fault," he had said. "You deserve a second chance."

That was the first time she could remember anyone telling her she deserved anything, let alone a second chance.

Seiko never got to work in that infirmary, because that school never opened. But the man never backed down from his word. He gave her a position elsewhere that would put her talent to good use in a decaying world. He gave her something to live for--a goal, a purpose.

He gave her hope.

After that, Seiko was forever loyal to Kyosuke Munakata.

* * *

For years Ruruka Ando despised Seiko Kimura.

At one time she called the witch her friend. But then that witch destroyed her future. She sabotaged her practical exam and got her expelled from Hope's Peak Academy. And yet somehow the universe was in her favor? As the world collapsed around them, Ruruka only had Izayoi to depend on. While they hid in the streets, terrified and hungry, surrounded by mobs of bloodthirsty monsters that dared to call themselves human, Seiko was sitting in a cushy chair in a laboratory protected by a legion of guards and soldiers. What did she do to deserve such a position? How _dare_ she be allowed such privileges? How _dare_ Munakata allow her to sink her claws into this organization, tainting it with her own existence, poisoning it from the inside out? Did he not oppose despair? How could he then justify allowing her to show her hideous face?

"Can you believe this?" Ruruka asked her boyfriend. "How he treats her. It's like he thinks she's human."

"It's unsettling, how he trusts her so much," Izayoi admitted.

Ruruka slipped a macaron in her mouth. She hummed as she savored it. Divine as always. It was good to know the Tragedy hadn't made her confectionery skills rusty.

"Well, I don't trust him," she said after she swallowed the sweet treat.

"Me neither."

A minute of silence passed between the two. Ruruka drummed her fingers on the table briefly, considering having another confection. Izayoi waited patiently. Something was clearly on her mind.

"Why did she have to betray us?" she finally asked.

Izayoi said nothing. He couldn't answer her if he didn't know what the answer was. Then again, it was probably meant to be rhetorical anyway.

She would never admit it to anyone, not even to her boyfriend, but Ruruka missed Seiko. Sometimes it made her sad, but most of the time it made her angry. Seiko had it so great now, with the top position and all the praise she got from her peers. Everyone seemed to like her for some reason. Could they not see she was a traitor? Were they as corrupt as Seiko was?

Ruruka crushed a macaron in her clenching fist. Izayoi sighed. What a waste of good sweets.

* * *

"Kimura, do you have anything to report?"

Seiko jumped in her seat. Throughout the meeting room all eyes were on her. She twiddled her thumbs before speaking.

"I-I've been studying a poison that Mikan Tsumiki had developed," she told them. "It affects the left side of the victim's body, effectively shutting off many vital organs and resulting in a gruesome display that makes the victims resemble the cursed Monokuma."

Tengan's eyebrows raised.

"I am currently working on a cure for this poison," Seiko continued. "An antagonist, to be specific. It will take some time, but I believe progress is going well."

"Excellent work, Kimura," Munakata praised.

Seiko's eyes lit up. How effective were words of encouragement in boosting one's own confidence? If it wasn't for Munakata, she probably would have forgotten how it felt a long time ago.

"It's not going to work," Ruruka butted in, and the light went out in Seiko's eyes. "This cure is going to be useless, just like you."

Seiko sank in her seat and stared at her tea cup, afraid that she would accidentally look someone in their judging eyes if she focused on anything else.

"You seem awfully sure of that."

All eyes turned to the woman who spoke. Sitting near the end of the table, the former Ultimate Detective Kyoko Kirigiri calmly brought her cup of coffee to her lips.

_"Excuse_ me?" Ruruka asked, appalled by Kirigiri's tone of voice.

Kirigiri set her cup down. "What makes you so sure that the cure won't work? I was under the impression your expertise was in food, not medicine. Perhaps you should let the actual expert in medicine be the judge of whether or not her cure will work."

The tension built up in the room as Ruruka's face became bright candy red. Kirigiri's face, however, expressed no emotion, or at least none that the others could detect.

Ruruka stood up. "I'm going to the girls' room."

"Ando," Munakata began, "we're in the middle of an important--"

Despite Munakata's attempts to restore order, Ruruka was already out of the room, Izayoi quickly following behind her.

The room was silent for some time before Kizakura broke it.

"...You know, I don't think she's actually going to the bathroom."

* * *

"Useless..."

Seiko was sitting on a bench in the lobby, wiping tears from her eyes. What Ruruka said during that meeting was tame by the usual standards, but she did it every time. Every meeting, whether at the headquarters or in the video chat, Ruruka would take every chance she could in antagonizing Seiko.

"I'm such... a failure," Seiko told herself between sobs, burying her face in her hands.

"Kimura, is it?"

Seiko jumped a little, not expecting an audience. She looked up to see Kyoko Kirigiri, the woman who had defended her during the meeting.

"Y-yes. I'm Seiko Kimura," she introduced herself hesitantly.

Kirigiri stood over her, her arms crossed and her face expressionless. Though somehow Seiko didn't find her intimidating in the least. She could see it in Kirigiri's eyes. Compassion.

"Good luck on your cure," was all she said, and she walked away.

Seiko watched her leave. Behind her mask, she smiled. Her confidence was back. This cure was going to work, Seiko decided. She would wager her life on it.

* * *

"...Useless."

Maybe Ruruka was right after all.

Seiko stared down at the body of Daisaku Bandai. What had this poor man done to deserve such a fate? Never in her time in the Future Foundation had she seen Bandai do anything wrong. Even Munakata said some hurtful things from time to time, but Bandai was pure of heart.

Who was this killer who would dare murder such a person?

She could feel _her_ eyes on her skin, hear her harsh words in her mind. Or perhaps she was saying them out loud. Seiko couldn't tell. All she knew was that Ruruka was judging her right now.

At that moment, Seiko had a terrifying thought. What if Ruruka was actually the killer? What if she did all this to prove a point, that Seiko would be completely useless in this kind of situation? Or perhaps she just wanted Seiko to suffer. It seemed like she would go to such lengths to do so.

Or maybe Seiko, deep down, wanted an excuse to get back at Ruruka for all the shit she put her through.

It didn't matter either way. Tonight would be a bloody night regardless.

* * *

Kirigiri stared down at the bottle in her hand. "Cure W," it said on the label. She wondered briefly what the "W" could stand for. A small smirk dared to show on her face when she considered it could be an upside-down "M," to mock the image of Monokuma. It would be fitting, certainly.

She looked over at Seiko's lifeless body, embedded into the wall. Kirigiri had just finished examining her. She could only imagine what kind of force would have been needed to send her through it. Seiko must have been thrown at it multiple times.

And if Kirigiri's hunch was correct, Seiko had somehow done this to herself.

Kirigiri looked at her NG Code briefly before returning her attention to the bottle. "Because of her, you had no faith in your cure. Now that you are no longer here to defend it, allow me to put faith in this cure, in your place." She looked at Seiko again and frowned, not that anyone would have noticed a difference if they were just watching her lips. "You were one of the people who wanted Naegi dead. It's upsetting, considering how nice you seemed to be the few times I've met you. But it's understandable as well. You've always seemed to hold Munakata's opinion at the highest regard. I respect your loyalty. But I'm afraid I cannot allow Naegi to die. Like you, I am also loyal."

Kirigiri turned on her heel, placing the bottle in her pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this chapter a lot more than Ruruka's. I feel like I actually did a better job portraying Ruruka here than in her own chapter. She's still a bully, but you can tell she's hurting. And all that stuff about Seiko having such a good life in the Future Foundation? You can probably guess that this was from Ruruka's point of view. A very biased point of view.
> 
> As for Seiko, I think I did a pretty good job with her too. I feel like the anime didn't really do a whole lot with the idea that Seiko was loyal to Munakata, perhaps to a fault. I also think that people forget that precious cinnamon roll Seiko was perfectly fine with Naegi being executed. (She's still a precious cinnamon roll though)
> 
> And correct me if I'm wrong but that piece of candy Seiko had was the same one she was given as a child, right? I know that was my impression when I watched the anime, but according to the wiki apparently whoever wrote the manga adaptation disagrees. Perhaps they just wanted a somewhat happy ending? ...In a world where everyone pretty much dies? I'm not buying it. I'm going to stick with sentimental value here. I want to believe there were things the anime did right, and that this was one of those things. So I'm ignoring the manga.


	7. Kanon Nakajima

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were all connected in a way she could not fathom. A way she didn't want to accept.
> 
> "Did you have this on you this whole time?"

It seemed that no one was willing to leave Kanon alone that night, as someone had knocked on her door an hour after Yukimaru left.

"Kanon, it's me."

Kanon sat up. She was surprised at how serious Hiroko's tone was. No nicknames for her today, it seemed.

"Come in."

Hiroko entered the room. "You looked like you were in bad shape earlier. Yuki won't tell me what you talked about. Everything okay?"

Kanon was surprised at how mature Hiroko was being at the moment. She had always been the calm and sensible one of the group, but her attitude was usually childish and playful. Kanon saw none of that now. Perhaps the weight of the Tragedy had finally caught up with Hiroko. Maybe it didn't help that she was pretty much forced into babysitting all these survivors by herself now that Shirokuma was gone and Haiji Towa was MIA.

"Mind if I light one up?" she asked, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket. Kanon shook her head.

Hiroko lit the cigarette and took a puff. After a heavy breath, she spoke again. "I can't believe my baby boy is all grown up now. Working for the people who are trying to fix the world. Maybe it's about time I've grown up too."

"If it makes you feel better," Kanon responded with a smirk, remembering her adventure with Yasuhiro Hagakure, "he still seems like a child on the inside."

Hiroko laughed. "Yeah, I suppose." She frowned again. "But it's still sobering. That... and finding that one kid. Yuta, I think his name was."

Kanon nodded, turning away from the older woman. "Yeah. Yuta Asahina." Her gaze turned downwards as she folded her hands over her lap. "I hope his sister is doing okay. I can't imagine how she's feeling right now, if she even knows about it."

Hiroko turned to her with curious eyes. "Yuta has a sister? I didn't know that. Did you know them?"

Kanon's body stiffened for a moment, and she bit her lip nervously.

They were silent for some time, their brains working overtime in trying to figure out what the other was thinking. Hiroko crossed the finish line before Kanon did.

"Is there something I should know about? Something important?"

Kanon held her knees tight to her chest, and Hiroko knew the answer.

"Please, dear. Any information you can share with us could be vital for our survival."

Kanon shook her head. "I can't. Everyone will hate me."

"I won't hate you," Hiroko assured her.

"They won't like the news."

"I think we're past that point."

"They'll fall into despair."

That brought an end to Hiroko's interrogating, if only for a moment. She took another puff from the cigarette as she considered this new information.

"They don't need to know," she finally said.

Kanon stared at her after she said this, as if trying to figure out if she could trust Hiroko with such information. If she could trust Hiroko with her own life.

"I'm the leader of this group," Hiroko told her. "I decide what's best for us. If this news is as bad as you say it is, it is my decision whether they should know about it. And you know, it may help to talk about whatever is bothering you. Might take a burden off your shoulders."

Kanon pondered on this for a moment, wondering if Hiroko had any alterior motive. Hiroko had seemed to drop this on her suddenly. But one look in her eyes and Kanon knew there was genuine concern in them. She finally gave in. She took the file from its hiding spot and handed it to Hiroko. "Here."

Stunned at first, Hiroko snuffed out her cigarette before taking the folder. She sat down at a nearby desk and opened its contents.

From the bed, Kanon could hear the quiet gasps coming from Hiroko as realizations began to dawn on her.

On the sheet of paper in front of her Hiroko saw a list of names--familiar names--separated into two groups: alive and deceased.

"My poor baby..." Hiroko said, realizing her own son had just narrowly avoided death. But his name was not the only one that left her horrified. She recognized many of these names. Kirigiri, Ishimaru, Asahina, Fujisaki, she recognized them all.

And she damn sure recognized the names "Naegi" and "Toko Fukawa."

They were all connected in a way she could not fathom. A way she didn't want to accept. She tried to push it away like how she used to push away adulthood itself, but aging never stopped, and neither did the growing despair that this list was spreading to her.

Hiroko thought of a man who was saved over a month ago. Her men had found him wandering around the alleys near the Towa Memorial Science Hall, looking like he was just mauled by a bear--in fact, he probably was--searching not for medical help, but for his son. He called out to his son, hoping desperately that his child was among the group of survivors, tears in his eyes as if he knew it was a futile effort.

She recognized him from the hit list Komaru and Fukawa found, and she gave him medical attention immediately. She would not lose another one.

Hiroko thought of him as soon as she saw his surname in the file. His son was listed under the names of the deceased.

"You... You're right," Hiroko finally said. "This... this is not something they should see. Not now, anyway, while things are so tense."

Kanon shuddered and sobbed under the sheets of her bed.

Hiroko turned to look at her. "Did you have this on you this whole time?"

Terrified, Kanon reluctantly nodded.

Hiroko's features fell from shocked horror to deep sadness. "Poor Kankan!" She ran over to her and held her in her arms. "I am so sorry, sweetie. No one should have to bear this burden on their own."

That broke Kanon's defenses, and she openly cried into Hiroko's shoulder. Hiroko held her like a mother holding a child, rubbing her back and telling her it will be okay. Whether Hiroko truly believed that was another story.

Minutes had passed before Kanon finally calmed down, her chest heavy with exhaustion. Hiroko carefully helped her lie down and tucked her in.

"It's okay, Kanon. I won't tell anyone about the file. Not until you're ready."

Kanon nodded, and Hiroko smiled at her. The older woman grabbed the file from the desk and put it in its hiding spot under Kanon's bed.

"Get some rest, hon," Hiroko said as she left the room.

Kanon would not get to rest, because soon another knock was heard from her door. She didn't hear a voice from the door, so she made no effort to address it.

The knock happened a second time. This person would not leave her alone.

This confused Kanon. If it was Hiroko, she would have said something. And she was sure Hiroko would have told the others to let her rest. Who could be knocking at her door?

A third knock prompted her to get up and address this problem. She cautiously went to the door and opened it.

Takaaki Ishimaru stood in front of her door.

"Sorry to bother you, Miss Kanon," Takaaki said. His hands were shaking and he nervously shifted his balance from one leg to the other constantly. "I couldn't help but overhear a discussion you had earlier with Ms. Hagakure. It sounded very serious."

Kanon shivered and stepped back to close the door. "Eavesdropper..."

Before she could close it all the way, Takaaki moved his body to block the door. "Please, Miss Kanon! Forgive me for this intrusion, but if you know what happened to my son, I must know!"

Kanon stared into the man's eyes as he pleaded for her to answer the questions floating around his head. "I..."

"Please allow an old man to make peace with himself," he begged. "I just want to know what happened to my son..."

Kanon didn't budge an inch, still frozen in fear and guilt.

"All I wanted was to give my son a life he deserved," he told her. "Our family was disgraced, and the sins of my father weighed deeply on both of us. Everything I've ever done, from the day I became a father, I did for my son, to ensure he had a future worth believing in. _Please..._ I must know. What happened to my dear Kiyotaka?"

The guilt consumed Kanon more than despair itself ever could. She had selfishly kept this secret from all of them just so no one would hate her, but to see the pain her actions had caused firsthand was heartbreaking.

She gave in to his pleas.

"Here," she said, handing the file to him. "But... please don't share it with anyone that might... do something horrible because of it. Can I trust you with that?"

Takaaki nodded, accepting the file with shaking hands. "O-of course, Miss Kanon. I assure you, all I want is to know what happened to my son. If this folder is enough to give me closure, that's all I will ask of you. I will return it in the morning. Goodnight, Miss Kanon."

After Takaaki walked away, Kanon closed the door. She turned and propped her back against it, more exhausted than she was all night. Sliding down to the floor, she brought her knees in again, wondering if she had made a horrible mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this chapter was written maybe a month ago, but I wasn't fully convinced on how I was portraying the three characters featured in this chapter, and it went through a few revisions... which still didn't relieve my concerns. But then I remembered that one of the reasons why DR1 was well-loved by the DR fandom was because the characters acted differently than what their stereotypes suggested, making them feel more human in the end. So that, as well as the Tragedy, is my excuse for any inconsistencies between how the characters are portrayed in canon, and how I'm portraying them here. Of course, I could also be a hack. Who knows?
> 
> And yes, I'm well aware that I somehow wrote a chapter about Kanon Nakajima, titled "Kanon Nakajima," without mentioning Leon Kuwata once. I don't know how, but I did.


	8. Mukuro Ikusaba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Throughout her life, all she knew was despair. From being a child on the streets trailing behind an abusive twin sister to being a teenage soldier in one of the world's deadliest mercenary groups, Mukuro could never have known anything else. So when her sister decided it was finally time to drown the world in a sea of entropy, Mukuro was ready to be the catalyst.
> 
> But that all changed with a smile.

Mukuro looked down at the body of the supposedly immortal Isshiki Madarai. His reappearance still puzzled her. She could have sworn they killed him on the way to the Student Council meeting, but for some reason he just kept popping up. It was irritating. The only possible explanation she could think of was that there was more than one of them. It made her brain hurt. Her sister's plans were complicated enough. If it turned out these guys were pulling the same con game at the same time, she would probably go on a killing spree from sheer annoyance.

The puzzle of the immortal Madarai distracted her enough that she forgot she wasn't alone in the room, even though her name was being called out from behind her.

Naegi got off the bed and proceeded to thank her many, many times for saving his life. Mukuro didn't look at him. It was only by fate that she had saved him from death. She was there for a different reason entirely, but she couldn't tell Naegi what that reason was. She almost felt bad that he was involved in this mess to begin with, but she knew that it would happen sooner or later anyway.

But for now, Mukuro had to lie to him. "I was just passing by?" she said when he asked her why she was there. She didn't mean for it to sound like she was asking a question. She was never good at coming up with lies on the fly. Lying was Junko's shtick. Mukuro often had to follow Junko's lead, but the fashionista wasn't around at the moment.

And yet she _was_ , and that was something that also annoyed Mukuro about the situation.

"Uh, why did you phrase it as a question?"

Mukuro briefly glanced at the other girl in the room, Ryoko Otonashi. She grimmaced. Her sister's skills at analyzing other people were going to get her caught yet.

Thankfully, Naegi didn't seem to notice. Instead he was trying to piece together what had happened. It seemed his supposed luck was now in Mukuro's favor.

* * *

Uncertainty was an unfamiliar feeling for Mukuro Ikusaba.

Throughout her life, all she knew was despair. From being a child on the streets trailing behind an abusive twin sister to being a teenage soldier in one of the world's deadliest mercenary groups, Mukuro could never have known anything else. So when her sister decided it was finally time to drown the world in a sea of entropy, Mukuro was ready to be the catalyst.

But that all changed with a smile.

It was such a simple gesture. To any well-adjusted person it would leave no impact whatsoever. But that simple act turned Mukuro Ikusaba's world upside-down.

The scenario was as common as it could possibly get. She was running down one hallway. He was running down another. They collided with each other where the paths crossed. The force sent Naegi falling on his ass, but for some reason he was the one to apologize for the whole thing.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" He got back up to his feet and rubbed the back of his head shyly, an embarrassed smile on his face. "I didn't see you coming."

Mukuro stared blankly at the boy. "Uh... It's fine," she managed to get out.

"You're Enoshima's sister, right?" Naegi asked. "Mukuro Ikusaba?"

"...Yeah."

"That is a really cool name," he complimented. "Kind of morbid, but still pretty cool."

"...Thank you."

"So where are you headed?" he asked, his smile softening to an expression Mukuro had never seen before. Something about it seemed so foreign--bizzarre, even--and yet she was taken by it. It must have been some kind of trick on her eyes, because as far as she knew such an emotion did not exist. Nor did the emotion welling up within her.

She must have been staring for too long, because Naegi's smile faded to a concerned frown. As soon as the smile was gone, she missed it. "Is something wrong?"

"Er... no. I'm fine," she said unconvincingly, but Naegi seemed to accept the answer. "I'm meeting up with Junko, actually."

"Oh! Sorry for holding you up! See you later, Ikusaba," Naegi said, his smile returning. Mukuro had noticed, and she had to tell herself not to ask him to turn back toward her when he ran off.

Since that moment, she began noticing other strange thoughts and feelings inside her. Just seconds after that strange moment with Naegi, Mukuro ran into Kiyotaka Ishimaru, who wasn't happy to see her running in the halls. Instead of just ignoring his rants and running past him, she apologized and slowed her pace. She surprised herself when she did this.

Later that week she went to the gymnasium to exercise. Inside, Asahina and Sakura were teaching Chihiro how to do Jumping Jacks, and Mukuro had a compelling urge to join them for some reason. She decided against it, not that it would have made a difference anyway. Asahina and Sakura's efforts turned out to be unsuccessful as Chihiro was frozen in place, constantly looking away from the other two with a face as red as an apple. When Mukuro told Junko about it later, Junko just laughed. "'Innocent' my ass," she said.

Later still she was invited by Celestia Ludenberg to a game of Othello, and she accepted. That was when she knew for sure that something was wrong. She was beginning to accept something she had long abandoned. For years she believed herself to be an enlightened one in a world so desperate to pretend that horrible attrocities did not exist and yet constantly created one disaster after another. For years she truly believed her sister's philosophy, and she knew that the complete and utter destruction of the human race was inevitable, so why not rush the process? It's not like the world had done anything for her. Why would people even want to live in this world, where children are homeless and recruited into deadly mercenary groups?

But thanks to that one smile she was starting to see something else. Hope. That thing that Junko hated so much. The thing that Mukuro hated for so long. She suddenly saw what it looked like, and now she was confused. But despair was all she had ever known. It was clear as daylight. Death and oblivion were the only absolutes of this godforsaken world. Hope, on the other hand, was fuzzy. It did not make any sense to her. Why would people still be so happy, knowing the inevitable? Why give in to the artificial worldview that permeated this school and the world as a whole?

She asked Junko about it. For a second Junko narrowed her eyes, and Mukuro felt an uneasy shiver down her spine. But Junko quickly bounced back into her bubbly persona, telling Mukuro not to worry about it. "You're just imagining things," she said. "Hope is as fake as my nails. You know it. I know it. The world knows it. They just don't want to admit it. They just want to believe the lie. Pretend the Matrix is real. Makes me sick."

Mukuro accepted this answer. After all, even if she could pretend to be friends with her fellow students, it wouldn't make much of a difference, would it? She was a former mercenary. Why would people who clung to life in such a way befriend a contract killer? It just made sense to go along with whatever Junko was planning. And that's what she did.

* * *

Mukuro stood with Junko as they watched their classmates build the shelter. Occasionally they would help out to make things look good, but most of the time they were just observing them. Mukuro had her eyes on someone in particular.

There he was. The boy who smiled at her, with a smile so sincere that it changed Mukuro's life forever. Over time that smile, and ones that came after, caused her to feel something she never expected to feel. She didn't know what love was, exactly, but she started to wonder if this was it.

It wasn't like she had never been given a smile before. Junko smiled at her all the time. But it wasn't the same. Junko's smiles brought a different kind of feeling. One of excitement and dread. But Naegi's smile brought confusion and butterflies, and Mukuro wasn't sure which was worse.

At that moment, however, his smile was focused on someone else. Sayaka Maizono. It was the same smile, but once she noticed who had put that smile on his face, the butterflies turned into bile.

The sisters watched as Naegi and Maizono walked together down the hall. Mukuro was envious, but her blank expression hid it well. It didn't matter anyway. He was probably going to die in the game they were planning. And even if he didn't, she was a murderer. A cold-blooded assassin. She always had been, and she always would be. They were of two completely different worlds.

Junko had tried to harm Naegi by throwing a wrench at him, but Naegi's luck cycle kicked in at that moment and he tripped as the wrench flew over him. Only Naegi could have bad luck translate to good luck so well. Well, aside from maybe that one guy. Komaeda or whatever. Mukuro didn't care.

"Isn't he just some loser?" Mukuro asked her sister. She knew Junko considered Naegi a threat, and she also knew that Junko knew about her crush on him. There was no way her feelings had gone past Junko's analyzing skills. So she chose her words carefully, so that Junko would know she was on her side.

It seemed to work. Junko explained to her why she felt Naegi was a threat. It was that luck of his. He was always either in the right place at the wrong time or in the wrong place at the right time, and it all worked out in his favor. Junko reasoned that while Naegi's luck was more subtle than Komaeda's, it was also far more dangerous. At least Komaeda's luck was easy to predict. Naegi's luck seemed to fluctuate between genuine coincidence and plain irony. Junko could never tell whether Naegi's good luck would truly be good luck or if it was bad luck in disguise, and vice versa, until well after such information would be useful. Komaeda's luck, on the other hand, was completely transparent.

To be certain that Junko knew she was on her side, Mukuro hesitantly proposed a question--a question that scared her in ways no battlefield had ever scared her before. "Do you want me to kill him?"

Junko took a moment to think, humming as she organized her thoughts. Mukuro wondered for a moment if she had made a fatal mistake. Everything from the words she chose to the hesitation in her voice when those words left her mouth were no doubt being analyzed by her sister, and that analysis could potentially spell disaster for the mercenary.

Mukuro was relieved when Junko finally ended her train of thought with the answer she was hoping for: "No."

Junko was fascinated by Makoto Naegi. He wasn't a threat in the same way Kyoko Kirigiri was, but Kirigiri was easy to figure out. Naegi, however, was almost impossible to plan around. Junko hadn't planned on Naegi being in Matsuda's lab in the middle of the Otonashi phase of her plan. She hadn't planned on Naegi dodging the wrench by accident just now. It seemed like Naegi completely escaped her analytical genius through sheer luck. Junko embraced the idea that this nobody could somehow undermine her entire life's work. It filled her with a despair so pleasurable it sent chills down her spine.

When the two sisters parted ways, Mukuro sighed with relief. She had no idea how she was going to get through this damn killing game without losing her mind. She was caught in a tug of war between two people, and she had no idea who would win.

* * *

Mukuro took a deep breath and entered the gymnasium. The plan was set in motion. All she needed to do was follow the script.

It had all led up to this game. Everything that Junko planned--the Student Council murders, the brainwashing, the mass suicide of the Reserve Course, the _destruction of the world--everything_ led up to this game. Junko sent a wave of despair throughout the entire world and watched it crumble at her feet, but none of that really mattered to her at that moment. She was already bored with the results. The people may have known who she was, but she didn't know them. There wasn't much despair to be found in the deaths of complete strangers.

It might have been her lifelong dream to send the world into chaos, but nothing mattered more to Junko Enoshima than this game. Class 78. Those classmates she loved so dearly. The stories she learned, the lives that touched her heart, they would all be snuffed out inside this very school. "Everyone loves a good tragedy," Junko reasoned. "What kind of idiot watches _Hamlet_ and expects everyone to live happily ever after?"

The first death of the game had already occurred. Sayaka Maizono. Mukuro was almost ashamed that she was pleased by this turn of events. Maybe if _he_ survived they could be together. That luck of his would probably keep him alive. It could still happen.

Mukuro rubbed her temples. "What am I thinking?" she whispered to herself. She thought she had come to terms with the fact that it was never meant to be. This was the path she chose to take. The path of a murderer. The path of an assassin. Perhaps in another life she could have met someone like Naegi sooner. Perhaps she could have joined a more honorable military. Maybe things would have been different. But that was not her life. Her loyalty was for Junko and Junko alone. She lived for her sister, and she knew that someday she would die for her too.

As planned, Mukuro argued with Monokuma, and the fight got physical. The plan was that a trap door would open, sending her into a prison cell underneath the school.

Then Monokuma called for the Spears of Gungnir. For a split second Mukuro was confused. This wasn't part of the script.

By the time she realized her sister's betrayal, it was too late.

* * *

_**\- kono oozora ni tsubasa wo hiroge -** _

Mukuro realized many things in those last few seconds.

She realized she hated her sister. The sister that abused her and tossed her aside like garbage when she was no longer useful. Or perhaps Junko had a reason for killing her. There was no telling with Junko. She just did whatever she wanted.

_**\- tonde yukitai yo -** _

She realized she hated herself. She hated that she enjoyed killing people. What made her think she could have lived a normal life, with friends and family who actually cared about her? She hated that she was loyal to a fault. She genuinely believed that she would be standing by Junko's side until the very end. She hated that she didn't see this coming sooner, what with all the attempts Junko had made on her life. Did she think her sister wasn't serious about that? What was she thinking?

_**\- kanashimi no nai jiyuu na sora e -** _

She realized that Naegi would hate her if he learned about her existence. Their memories were all wiped clean. Naegi wouldn't remember her as the girl he met at Hope's Peak, who saved his life from the Madarai brothers. If he _did_ learn about her in the future, he would see a cold-blooded killer, who slaughtered armies and schools, who set up a game to kill the only people in the world who cared about her.

_**\- tsubasa hatamekase -** _

And she realized she deserved this. Every second of pain and agony that felt like an eternity. It was the first time she had ever been thrown off guard on the battlefield, and it would be her last. She deserved it because she was a murderer. She deserved it because she took delight in killing people. And she deserved it because she could have prevented all of it. She knew about nearly all of Junko's plans before they were set into motion. She could have stopped it when she started falling for Naegi. She could have stopped it when Chihiro trusted her enough to tell her his secret. She could have stopped it when Matsuda died. But she stuck with it anyway, because she believed in her sister.

The sister that betrayed her. Junko Enoshima.

_**\- yukitai -** _

* * *

It was a good thing that Mukuro Ikusaba was already dead, because the irony of her classmates caring more about her than her own sister would have been enough to kill her.

Naegi was already terrified by what had happened to the girl in the middle of the gymnasium, but now he was also a suspect of the murder of Sayaka Maizono. He felt horrible knowing that he had no time to mourn either of their deaths.

Naegi looked over at the other two people still in the gymnasium. Hagakure was panicking, only now just realizing the danger they were all in. He was praying to whatever god would listen to his pleas. Nearby was Chihiro, whose eyes were glued to the body on the floor. Tears were streaming down Chihiro's face.

"Fujisaki, aren't you joining the investigation?" Naegi asked.

Chihiro looked at Naegi. The whole situation was too much for him. He wanted to believe that Naegi was a good person. Naegi seemed so friendly and trustworthy. But now he was a suspect for murder, and Chihiro didn't know what to think.

Still, that wasn't why Chihiro hadn't moved from where he was standing. He looked back down at the body. "Junko" was also someone that Chihiro had trusted since the start of this horrible game, and now she was dead. They had investigated the school together. They checked the soundproof rooms together. And "Junko" seemed to be one of the few voices of reason in the whole class. She always managed to calm Chihiro down when he started panicking.

"I can't just leave her alone," Chihiro explained to Naegi. "I'm... going to stay with her for a while..."

Naegi nodded and turned to walk away, but against his better judgment he turned back around to ask Chihiro one more thing.

"Fujisaki, you... don't think that I..."

Chihiro didn't answer.

Mortified, Naegi ran an anxious hand up his forehead and through his hair. "Right..." He left the gymnasium without saying another word.

Chihiro continued to stare at the body. He had trusted "Junko." He had also trusted Naegi. But now there was no one left he could trust.

* * *

Junko broadcasted the mutual killing game live around the decaying world. Among its viewership was the Future Foundation, who were working to put an end to it, while also trying to fix the rest of the world at the same time. Eventually the world became a greater priority, but the foundation still kept tabs on Class 78, hoping they would pull through. Most of them didn't.

Unknown to the rest of the Future Foundation, one of its more recent members took interest in the broadcast for a different reason.

Even if he wasn't paying close attention to the broadcast, he would have recognized "Junko" almost immediately. He was curious as to why she was masquerading in that silly outfit, and why she was pretending to not know who the other students were. At one point he wondered if she had grown soft, and he quickly scolded himself for thinking that. Being an excellent killer and having regrets about being a killer were not mutually exclusive by any means.

He was disappointed when she died. It was a shame. A part of him really wanted to meet her in person, to thank her for what she had done for him. She was his muse, his inspiration. Her name alone gave him goosebumbs. Mukuro Ikusaba. It brought to mind corpses lying on a battlefield, with a powerful samurai standing in the middle raising a bloodied sword high into the air. _What a name! What a girl!_

Juzo Sakakura entered the room and dumped some paperwork on the young man's desk. "Hey, rookie. I've got an assignment for you."

Takumi Hijirihara's head snapped back and his mouth flung open. "Can't my partner do it?"

Juzo grabbed him by the collar and lifted him to his feet.

"Alright, alright, I'm up."

Once Hijirihara was up, Juzo glanced at the screen. He grimmaced when he saw "Junko's" dead body. He was also aware that it wasn't her, but that image still jarred him for a moment. Could it have been that easy to kill Junko Enoshima? If only he had thought of it.

He looked at the other students on the screen and frowned. "Ah, shit..."

"What?" Hijirihara inquired.

"None of your damn business, rookie," Juzo muttered, pulling out a pen and a notepad. He penciled in a date and time, along with Miaya Gekkogahara's name.

"She your girlfriend or something?" Hijirihara asked, looking over his shoulder.

Juzo scoffed. "No." He pointed to the screen. "See that girl there? She's a close friend of one of my colleagues. I mean really close, you know?" He ran a hand over his face and sighed. "Gekkogahara's been a nervous wreck since this whole thing started. I figured I should do something nice for her."

"Something nice?" Hijirihara quipped. "That's surprising. You treat us like shit."

"Do you ever shut up?" Juzo asked, raising a fist at the rookie. As he walked to the door, he added, "Munakata's not happy about it either. Apparently that girl was his first choice to be the head of Future Foundation's security team, but the plan fell through for some reason." He stepped through the door. "It's a damn shame, really."

Juzo was about to close the door when another question popped into Hijirihara's head.

"So you think that Naegi guy did it?" Hijirihara asked curiously. "Killing Sayaka Maizono, I mean."

"...I don't really care. Now get to work," Juzo said before shutting the door.

Once in the hallway, Juzo looked around to see if anyone was passing through. Seeing he was alone, he clawed at his face and inhaled through his teeth. "Just breathe, Juzo," he said between breaths. "Just breathe. It's not... your fault. None of this... is... your fault..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh! I wonder whose chapter is next!
> 
> This chapter worried me a little bit, I'm not going to lie. For a number of reasons. First of all, I was portraying Mukuro Ikusaba, one of the Despair Sisters. I want it to be good. I want people to enjoy it. However, I also had the task of tying this chapter into the overall story--yes, there is one, I promise--and a strange desire to... try to make sense of the fact that most canon interpretations of Mukuro suggest that she likes Naegi, and yet the DR3 anime just kinda... had no focus on it whatsoever, which is a little jarring. And I know there are a number of fans that are probably kind of sick of Naegi at this point, and focusing on Naegi in a Mukuro-centric chapter may be seen by some as the easy way out.
> 
> So I tried to add some brief moments with other characters to make it feel like Naegi wasn't the only reason Mukuro was going through the change. Hopefully I did a decent enough job at that, and I hope it doesn't ruin the flow either, because that's also important when telling a story.
> 
> I hope I portrayed Mukuro and Hijirihara well enough. I still haven't actually read Killer Killer (though I've read summaries of it and info about the characters on the wiki) and... again, I was kinda nervous about how I was writing Mukuro's crush on Naegi and her internal conflict. I'm a bit more confident in my portrayal of Juzo, though I suppose I could have made him punch more things. Junko could have been funnier, but I feel she is still Junko, and that's the important thing, I think.


	9. Juzo Sakakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juzo blamed himself for everything. He blamed himself for the deaths of his friends and coworkers. He blamed himself for the Tragedy. He blamed himself for not stopping Junko Enoshima when he had the chance. As far as he was concerned, it was all his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may notice some repetition in this chapter. It's intentional. We're pretty much diving into Juzo's mind here.
> 
> And for the record, no. I don't blame him for any part of the Tragedy. He goofed up a few times, but this shit was all Junko's doing. Saying that Juzo is responsible for the destruction of the world would be like saying Chihiro is responsible for Monokuma's existence, the deaths of Ishimaru and Yamada, DR2's killing game, Naegi's trial and the Future Foundation killing game, etc. I don't think most of you really believe that, and I don't think Juzo destroyed the world either.
> 
> But Juzo might disagree with me on that...

Makoto Naegi.

Makoto Naegi.

Makoto Naegi.

Makoto Naegi _this._ Makoto Naegi _that._

Ultimate Hope _this._ Ultimate Hope _that._

It made him sick.

What right did this pipsqueak have to be called the Ultimate Hope? Because Junko targeted him? Because his luck managed to save him? Because his luck managed to defeat her? Ridiculous. It was simply luck. No skill involved. No effort put in. Just stupid, unpredictable luck.

Juzo hated him. He hated his face. He hated his name. Everything about this kid made him angry. Sheer luck, that's all it was. That's all it took to defeat that hellspawn Junko Enoshima. And now he's some kind of hero? People cheered for him. People patted him on the back. People looked up to him in awe like a statue standing in the middle of an ancient Greek temple. What the hell was this garbage? The fucking gods above handed the world to him on a silver platter. What a joke.

Juzo opened the van doors and carefully placed the dummy inside. It would be disastrous if the fireworks went off too early. But he couldn't wait to blow that fucking face all the way to Hell where it belonged.

He would enjoy it. He would enjoy it a lot.

But there was one thing he wanted to do more than blow up a wax dummy replica of Makoto Naegi.

"You're lucky you're not the real thing," Juzo said as he shut the doors, "because the next time I see the real you face-to-face, the first thing I'm going to do is punch you right in the stomach."

* * *

The first thing Juzo did when Naegi entered the meeting room was punch him right in the stomach.

Or rather that was the _second_ thing he did, after arresting Naegi for treason.

It appeared that Makoto Naegi's luck had finally run out. The so-called Ultimate Hope was charged with harboring terrorists to rehabilitate them at Jabberwock Island. The Neo World Program. Of course he would be so disrespectful to use his dead classmate's crowning achievement to help a bunch of no-good criminals. This kid was no hero. He deserved what was coming to him. And Juzo couldn't have been happier.

But even better than that was that _he_ now saw what Juzo had always seen. Kyosuke Munakata. A man Juzo trusted with his life. A man who originally believed that Naegi was a hero. Perhaps not _the_ hero, like everyone else seemed to believe, but _a_ hero. Those thoughts were long gone now. Now Munakata seemed to hate Naegi as much as Juzo did. And Juzo couldn't have been happier.

Now what would Makoto Naegi's punishment be? Sure, the kid was going to get a fair trial, but a million ideas were already forming in Juzo's head. Maybe Naegi would be thrown into a boxing ring with him? That'd be fun. Maybe he'd be thrown into a dark cell and left there to rot for the rest of his life. Juzo liked that idea too.

Or, hell, maybe they could trap him at the bottom of the ocean with no means to escape. That one wasn't likely to happen, but a man could dream.

* * *

_"The ocean?!"_

Juzo stared out into the dark abyss in front of him. There was no way this was real. How could they be at the bottom of _the fucking ocean?!_

Trapped at the bottom of the ocean with no means to escape. What a joke. His entire life was a joke.

Juzo growled and shouted with primal rage. He turned on his heel and stomped past Ruruka, who had yet to get up from the floor.

Once Juzo was out in the hallway, he nearly threw his fist at the wall. He remembered his NG Code just in time, and he stopped his fist from connecting. He opted to kick the wall instead.

"DAMN IT!" he shouted, and he shouted it again and again. He kicked the wall with every curse. "FUCK THIS GAME! FUCK MY LIFE! FUCK EVERYTHING!"

He rested his head on the wall. He wouldn't allow himself to cry. He wouldn't allow himself to show weakness of any kind. Munakata was counting on him. He needed to calm down and survive this horrible nightmare. Chisa was already dead. If Juzo died now, his best friend would be alone in the world. Juzo couldn't let that happen.

Juzo tried in vain to catch his breath. He knew this would happen eventually. The sins of his past were now haunting him. He felt the full weight of the consequences of his own actions in that moment. It was all his fault. All of it. The Tragedy. The massacre of Class 78. Their current predicament. It could have all been stopped. They could have all been alive and happy. It was a heavy burden that weighed on Juzo's shoulders, and he couldn't bear it anymore.

He needed to find Munakata. He needed to tell him everything.

* * *

The rain fell on Juzo's face as he stared up at the sky. He was broken. He was defeated. How could this have happened? How did she best him?

Junko Enoshima towered over him, mocking him with that irritating voice of hers. This stupid girl, this girl with the stupid voice and the stupid hair, had somehow beat him at his own game. Sure, she had help from the Reserve Course, but that was no excuse. This was disgraceful. There was no way Munakata would respect him after this.

The hellspawn told him she knew his secret. Juzo's face went pale. It wasn't _that_ secret, was it? How could she have known? Where could she have gotten such information?

"You love Chisa Yukizome!"

Well, maybe she didn't know.

"Psyche! Just kidding! The person you _really_ love is Kyosuke Munakata, isn't it?"

Juzo's eyes widened. She _did_ know. _How_ did she know?

Junko pulled out her phone and showed Juzo the pictures she took. Irrefutable evidence that he was in love with his best friend. Irrefutable evidence that she threatened to share with the man he loved.

She was blackmailing him.

"N-no!" Juzo begged, reaching out for the phone. "Stop!" He had never begged before. It felt dirty. It felt horrible. But Munakata couldn't know. He could never know how Juzo felt about him.

Junko Enoshima had him on a leash.

He heard the laughter of the Reserve Course students standing above him. Juzo Sakakura, a former Heavyweight Champion, a man who once had the glory of _being_ a champion, was now a complete disgrace.

* * *

He needed to find Munakata. He needed to tell him everything.

About Junko Enoshima. About how he knew. About how he couldn't say anything. About how she blackmailed him.

Because _she_ knew. Because _she_ would have said something. Because she would have said something to _Munakata._ Because she would have told him Juzo's secret.

Because he couldn't bear the thought of Munakata rejecting him. Leaving him. _Hating_ him.

And what did it get him? What did it get him to keep his mouth shut? A spear through the shoulder. The deaths of his fellow Future Foundation leaders. _The fucking end of the world._

What a joke. What a disgrace. A former Heavyweight champion defeated by some schoolgirl not even half his size.

That's why he hated Naegi so much, he realized at that moment. It was because Naegi and his friends defeated Junko Enoshima. They did something that he couldn't do. That he didn't have the strength or the courage to do. He still hated that Naegi got all the credit and was for a time believed to be some sort of god among men, but Juzo now understood that it cut deeper than that.

His hatred wasn't just some petty jealousy. It wasn't just because some random kid got all the glory of being the hero to the barely surviving world. He hated Naegi and his friends so much because he hated himself and his own failure.

* * *

How did this happen?

When did the world crumble at his feet?

Could it have been prevented? Could he have stopped it?

For the past year these thoughts were trapped in Juzo's mind. He could not escape them. They would not go away.

No matter how many times he tried to do right for his fellow Future Foundation leaders, they would not go away. He could stand at Munakata's side and praise him for hours and still feel the guilt flow through him. He could cheer up Miaya as many times as he wanted, but he could never fully look her in the eye. He could ask Kizakura how he was holding up after that P.E. instructor was blown to oblivion, but the thoughts were still there. _They would not... go... away._

Would they ever go away? Was he doomed to regret everything for the rest of his life?

"Junko Enoshima did this," he would remind himself. Every day he reminded himself of that. He would repeat it over and over. Over and over. _Over and over._ "Junko Enoshima caused all of this. You know this." His eyes would clamp shut. "You _knew_ this! You knew this _and you didn't do anything!"_

Then he would punch a wall and leave a dent. And then he would have to explain that dent to Munakata. "Look, you try babysitting these fucking weirdos and tell me you wouldn't punch a wall," he'd say, opening a locker and watching Hijirihara fall out of it to prove his point. It seemed to work. Munakata was convinced.

If only Juzo could convince himself.

"Nuke the school"? What the hell was he thinking? What a great way to brush the blame off himself and under the rug and pretend that none of this was his fault.

Because it _was._ It _was_ all his fault.

It was _his_ fault that Kizakura was risking his life on the front lines trying to get the Hope's Peak students out of the school.

It was _his_ fault that Miaya, who was doing so well with coming out of her shell around the other Future Foundation leaders, was now jumpy and terrified and broken down all over again.

It was _his_ fault those students were trapped in there to begin with.

Because he could have stopped it. He could have stopped _her._ He could have prevented all of this from happening. And yet he let her slip through his fingers. All because of his _goddamn feelings._

He envied Chisa. Chisa never had to worry about what others thought of her if she walked next to Munakata, held his hand, whispered and chuckled softly in his ear. How strange was it that Chisa somehow saw him as a threat when it came to Munakata's affections when Munakata falling in love with her was a far more likely and socially accepted scenario?

He couldn't hate her for that though. Chisa was a great friend. She was the glue that held the three together during their worst moments. Even though they never would have admitted it, when they were sad or angry her smile and cheerful antics brought light into their world.

It was a shame that wasn't really the case now, in a time when they needed that light the most.

Something seemed to change about her since the Future Foundation was formed. She was quieter. Calmer. Almost dead at times. She didn't really get involved in anything if it wasn't necessary. It was strange given that she used to be more of a go-getter. Perhaps the Tragedy was taking its toll on her. That's what Juzo assumed at least.

But he also noticed that she didn't really talk to him much anymore. Or anyone else for that matter. Most of the time she only talked to Munakata. He almost felt betrayed. Now there really wasn't anyone left in his life _but_ Munakata, and that made him feel cold.

Because Munakata was the only person he had left. And he couldn't even confide in him the heavy secrets he was holding in.

He was all alone.

* * *

Chisa was dead now. Even though she had mostly stopped talking to him beforehand, it was another feeling entirely to know that she could never talk to him again.

Because now there _really_ wasn't anyone in his life but Munakata, and that made him feel _colder._

If he--a former Heavyweight champion, loved by many for his in-ring skill--only had one person in his life, how could it be that some random kid who just got lucky had all the friends and love in the world? What kind of a disgrace was he now, that he was guaranteed to have _nothing?_ Munakata wouldn't love him, and there was _no one else_  in his life. What a joke.

But he deserved it. He deserved it all. Because it could have all been prevented. And he knew it. He had always known.

Juzo blamed himself for everything. He blamed himself for the deaths of his friends and coworkers. He blamed himself for the Tragedy. He blamed himself for not stopping Junko Enoshima when he had the chance. As far as he was concerned, it was _all_ his fault.

But he wouldn't cry. He wouldn't show weakness. Instead he was going to make things right. He still hated Naegi, but he was going to help Naegi and his friends escape. He was going to find Munakata and tell him everything. Maybe then he would finally be able to forgive himself.

Juzo turned down another hallway, and then he stopped. He found him. He found Munakata.

But something was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Something tells me this isn't going to end well. That something being Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Future Arc, of course.
> 
> Like the previous chapter, I ended up adding additional scenes after my first draft to make this one less Naegi-centric so that the focus is more on the character the chapter is, y'know, named after. Mind you that Naegi is still a central character of this fic, and he plays a big role in the lives of other characters in DR canon, so I don't have any problems with using Naegi as a convenient plot device for other characters' development. But I know he can be a pretty polarizing character, and I was not the biggest fan of how he was handled in DR3, which is why I'm trying to tread carefully with him while still keeping him in the limelight... if that makes sense. In other words, I wanted Juzo's chapter to be more about Juzo in general and less about Juzo's hatred for Naegi, while still making that a key part of Juzo's character. And overall I honestly think I did a better job with that in this chapter than Mukuro's. But that's just my opinion.
> 
> As for Juzo (also a "love him or hate him" kind of character), I had a lot of fun writing for him. Of course, the funny moments at the beginning were a joy to write, but I enjoyed diving into what I imagine Juzo's mind is like as well. "What ifs" keep floating around his head and every mistake he makes just adds to the growing pile of anger and self-hatred within him. In my opinion, he is an excellent modern example of a classic tragic character. He starts out with everything, and then it just gets chipped away more and more until he is left with nothing. Such a great character, if you ask me. Even if the anime fell flat, I'm glad it existed because it gave us Juzo.


	10. Kyosuke Munakata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

**COUNTDOWN TO JUDGMENT: 3**

* * *

If Juzo was nervous before, he was absolutely uncomfortable now.

Munakata looked like a zombie. His face was bandaged, his one visible eye bizarrely blackened. His expression was dull and lifeless. He looked like he had just limped away from a car wreck, but there was nothing hindering his movements.

Juzo tried to voice his concerns about Munakata's injuries, completely ignoring his own, but Munakata did not respond. Juzo became anxious. Munakata never ignored him like this before. Did he do something wrong?

 _...Of course he did something wrong! That's why he was here!_ To confess his sins. To confess his feelings. That was the whole reason he tracked Munakata down to begin with!

Juzo tried getting Munakata's attention again, and Munakata stopped walking. It was a start, at least. It would have made Juzo more relaxed if the atmosphere wasn't so goddamn claustrophobic.

As he told Munakata about the deaths of their fellow Future Foundation leaders, Juzo felt a terror flow through him. That _stare._ Munakata's stare was almost _inhuman._

Juzo turned away. It had to be in his head. This was because of the guilt. It had manifested and was affecting his vision. _It had to be the guilt!_

"So is Tengan."

Shocked by the news, Juzo looked back up at Munakata. The chairman was dead? But the old man was such a tricky, slippery bastard! How could he have died so easily?

"I killed him."

Juzo began to sweat. He wasn't sure what was happening to Munakata, but he was starting to think this was a bad time to confess all of the things that had been plaguing him. If he were to tell him that he could have stopped Junko Enoshima before the world collapsed, that katana would be driven into his heart within seconds.

So instead of confessing, Juzo tried to keep Munakata's good graces by telling him everything he thought Munakata would want to hear: how the Future Foundation could start over, how Munakata could run it his way, and how no one could stop him from making the world a better place. And through it all, Juzo said, he would be there, right at Munakata's side.

It didn't seem to work. Munakata's voice was as lifeless as his expression. He brought up the past. How he had both Juzo and Chisa at his side. How things seemed to be looking up for them. How they were going to change the world and make it better.

Munakata looked empty and defeated, and the guilt built up once more in Juzo. _He_ had done this. It was _his_ fault that Munakata was so far gone. If he was truly to be at Munakata's side, he would have to tell him everything. He needed to tell him _now._

"Munakata, there's something I have to tell you."

Juzo turned away for a moment, still unsure about what would happen next. Munakata didn't stop staring at him. That horrifying stare that could drive a man insane.

"...Actually, I--"

"Enough!"

Munakata walked forward, pulling his katana out of its sheath. Juzo was frozen in shock, but before he could bring himself to react the blade had already gone through him.  
Juzo coughed up blood and fell to the floor.

His body shaking and maimed, he looked up at the man he had adored, who he had devoted his whole life to. "W-Why...?" He raised his head in anger, the pedestal now shattered. "W-Why?"

"You know why."

Munakata walked away, leaving Juzo passed out in a pool of his own blood.

* * *

"You want me to investigate Hope's Peak?" Juzo questioned, all of his attention on the voice on the other end of the phone call. "Why?"

"Something shady is going on over there," Munakata told him. "I need you and Yukizome to keep an eye on things. See what you can uncover. I've already recommended you to Headmaster Kirigiri."

"So what's the agenda?" Juzo asked. "What are we investigating exactly?"

"The Reserve Course," Munakata said. "Something doesn't seem right about the tuition they're charging the students. I know it's a prestigious institution, but the tuition is ridiculously high. From one year's tuition alone I was able to start building my school, and they _still_ have a large surplus of money left over for... something."

"And you want us to find out what that _something_ is?"

"That's the plan."

Juzo chuckled. "Sounds like fun. I'm in."

"And you're okay with working with Yukizome, right?" Munakata asked.

This response threw Juzo off guard. "What do you mean? We're friends. Of course I'm okay with working with her."

"Just making sure. Meet up with Yukizome at Hope's Peak and we'll continue discussing the plan from there."

"Got it."

Munakata hung up his phone and sighed. He wasn't stupid. Though he didn't know of Juzo's affections for him, he was still aware of Juzo's discomfort whenever the three of them were together. It was a discomfort he didn't see when Chisa wasn't around and it was only him and Juzo together. He assumed that Juzo felt like the third wheel in their friendship. The notion upset him a bit. Whether Juzo had a crush on Chisa or whether Juzo was feeling left out when he and Chisa were hanging out together, Munakata wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't want Juzo to think he thought any less of him. Juzo was his best friend. Munakata trusted him with his life. To see his friend silently suffering like this made Munakata concerned for him.

Still, it was great to get the team back together. Munakata had no doubt in his mind that they would be successful in uncovering whatever dark secret Hope's Peak Academy had. It was their duty as Hope's Peak's finest to make sure the school stayed the grand champion of hope and talent that it deserved to be. To watch it fall would be devastating for Munakata.

If only Munakata had known what kind of horrors Hope's Peak Academy would unleash on the world. Hindsight had never been so horrifying.

* * *

What the hell was happening in Hope's Peak?

First one murder! Then another! Then a bomb threat! All swept under the rug. Covered up. Why was any of this happening?

Was he wrong to trust Jin Kirigiri? It looked like the man had Hope's Peak's best interests at heart, but now Munakata wasn't so sure.

It was still possible though that Headmaster Kirigiri himself wasn't the man responsible for these attrocities. That was the reason figureheads existed. They were glorified scapegoats when things got rough for the real people in charge.

That _something_ must be the reason, Munakata believed. That something labeled "Hope Project Fund" that for some reason needed over half the school's budget. An awfully large amount of money for something so vague. But what was even more unsettling was when the headmaster confirmed Munakata's suspicions. When Munakata asked Jin Kirigiri about the project, masking his questioning as mere curiosity, Jin had admitted to knowing nothing about it. The project was entirely in the hands of the Steering Committee.

Chisa had eventually uncovered the real name of this mysterious addition to the budget: the "Izuru Kamukura Project." This did little to answer Munakata's questions, but the use of the founder's name in the title meant this project was of extreme importance to the committee.

When Chisa managed to uncover the details of the project, however, everything became crystal clear.

The lying. The cover-ups. The vague titles. The lack of explanation made public. The Steering Committee were indeed hiding something horrible, with even the headmaster left in the dark about the details.

Unfortunately, by the time Munakata would find the answers to all of his questions, another horrible mystery would rise from the ashes of the once prestigious Hope's Peak Academy. And this one would end up being more devastating than the last.

* * *

Munakata knelt down beside Juzo's body. He couldn't remember the last time he cried before they were thrown into this game. The past half hour was like a dam breaking after years of holding water back.

How Juzo had managed to hold on long enough to deactivate the bracelets, Munakata had no idea. What kind of motivation could Juzo have had to continue on after losing his hand and being stabbed by his best friend? Did Juzo want him to live that badly? Even after what he had done?

Munakata's vision was blurring from the tears as the deaths of his closest friends began to truly weigh down on him. With his parents and other family members presumably killed during the Tragedy, Chisa and Juzo were all he had. And now they were both gone. He was all alone.

He sat there for what felt like an eternity, apologizing quietly to his fallen friend. Juzo had saved him from this game. Munakata wished he could have thanked Juzo, but he never even got to say goodbye. He didn't get to say goodbye to either of them.

* * *

Before Togami could lead his companions out of the underground facility, they were stopped by a group of soldiers.

"Stand down!" they ordered, ready to aim their guns at the survivors.

Togami was beside himself. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked. "I am your acting commanding officer!"

"We are currently under the orders of Ryota Mitarai, who outranks you," the front-most soldier explained. "You will cease your attack at once."

"Attack?!" Asahina asked, bewildered by the accusation. "We're trying to stop him from making a horrible mistake!"

"You will not reach him," the soldier said. "We are authorized to hold you back by any means necessary."

Naegi's hand reached Asahina's shoulder. She could feel it tremble. "They're brainwashed. I... I think they're brainwashed!"

"Then they won't hesitate to kill if we force our way through," Togami said. His lips formed into a smile. "How exciting."

"Are you really going to be like this now?!" Asahina shouted at him.

"You misunderstand me, Asahina," Togami said. "Your... _morality_ may have rubbed off on me, but I've never once stopped looking at life like a game. It is the greatest game of all. A cosmic tontine, if you will. But that doesn't mean I'm planning on throwing our lives away on a whim. I plan on winning. I plan on _all of you_ winning. We will _not_ lose here. Not to these pawns!"

"We will not repeat ourselves!" The soldier aimed his gun at Togami as he shouted above him. "You will stand down or we will shoot!" At his word, the other soldiers aimed their guns at the survivors as well.

Togami stood his ground, with the others stepping back in fear. To come this far only to die...

"What is going on here?"

The survivors and the soldiers turned to the new voice. Kyosuke Munakata walked down the hall toward them, drawing the katana from its sheath.

"I am Kyosuke Munakata, second head of the Future Foundation. I am your commanding officer. You _will_ stand down, or I may use lethal force."

Ignoring Munakata's threat, or perhaps acting because of the threat, the frontmost soldier aimed his gun at Munakata, ready to fire. But Munakata was faster than the soldier, and before the soldier could fire, Munakata had already swung his blade. The soldier's forearms, separated from his body, fell to the floor.

The soldiers were too shocked by this action to react in time before Munakata spun around in a circle, slashing their arms and legs. They fell to the floor in unimaginable pain, and unable to use their guns.

Naegi and Asahina held their hands to their mouths, and Hagakure held his hands to his ears and screamed. They knew it was a necessary evil, but it was still horrific to watch. Tears began to form in Asahina's eyes as it dawned on her that this fate could have happened to her if she hadn't snapped out of her brainwashing.

Togami, on the other hand, only sighed. "It's a shame this had to happen," he said. "If they are lucky, they will survive from their wounds."

"Do not feel guilty for what happened to them," Munakata added. "Everything we have endured since the Tragedy is the fault of Despair, and this is no exception."

"Indeed," Togami agreed. "Junko Enoshima killed everyone the day she brought her plans into motion. We are all on borrowed time. Though, to be fair, isn't that how it's always been?"

Though the others hated that Togami and Munakata were right, they quietly agreed with them. It was a truth they never wanted to think about.

"Now if we're done chatting," Togami said as he began walking forward, "let's go looking for that mouse, shall we?"

On the way, they filled Munakata in on the details of the situation.

"I see," Munakata said with a frown. "I was under the impression they were brainwashed by despair... but hope?"

"Hope has been the motivation for many horrific deeds when you think about it," Togami said. "Martyrs and crusades exist for a reason."

"Fair point," Munakata conceded. He thought of an old idiom he learned when traveling to the United States in his youth. "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

"That's deep," Hagakure said.

"I used to think that saying was ridiculous, but it turns out it's true," Munakata admitted, his eyes fixed on the floor. "It's something I've learned very recently."

* * *

Takaaki Ishimaru slammed the door shut and leaned against it. Breathing heavily, he took a moment to allow his adrenalin to die down and began to take in his new surroundings. The Towa Memorial Science Hall. It was a shame that so much of the equipment in this building would go to waste. He knew his son would have felt the same way.

Takaaki held his hand over his chest. The more time he spent away from his son, the more he feared that Kiyotaka was dead. He tried to shake those thoughts from his head. These thoughts would not do him any good, especially if his son were indeed still alive. But the fear continued to linger regardless.

At any rate, he was injured and exhausted. He would be of no use to his son if he was dead, so Takaaki decided to find refuge until he could find the strength to continue his search.

He entered what appeared to be a computer lab, and immediately saw a woman sitting on a chair. She was slumped over the chair, her head in her arms. Another survivor, he hoped.

As he got closer, he could hear some faint sobbing. At least she was still alive.

"Ma'am?" he spoke softly, hoping that it wouldn't startle her. It appeared she didn't hear him, so he stepped closer and tried again. "Ma'am?"

She jumped when she heard him, her eyes wide and her sheeks stained with tears. But as soon as she realized he posed no threat, her shoulders relaxed. A sigh of relief left her lips. "Oh. Hello," she greeted, straightening herself up. "You're not a Despair, I hope."

Takaaki's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A what?"

"You know... the people who caused all of this," she said, surprised that he had no idea who the Despair were. "The people who caused the Tragedy. You've never heard of them?"

Takaaki shook his head. "I've been imprisoned for a while. Not quite caught up on current events yet."

"Are you a felon?" she asked curiously.

Takaaki looked offended. "No! I'll have you know I'm a law-abiding, law-enforcing police officer, thank you very much!"

The woman giggled, and Takaaki shrunk back in embarrassment. "Oh! Sorry. I shouldn't laugh. Things are hard enough as it is." She offered Takaaki a candy bar.

Takaaki hesitated for a moment, but he accepted it. "Thank you." He took a seat next to his new companion.

As Takaaki took a bite from the candy bar, the woman spoke up. "So... what's your name?"

Stopping mid-chew, Takaaki stared down at the keyboard in front of him. He didn't know how she would take it if he told her who he was. His father's "legacy," for lack of better way of putting it, would likely drive her away from him. Knowing that they would probably need to help each other to survive, he decided to ignore her question.

"Not talking, huh?" she said with a smirk. "I guess I won't be telling you my name either."

Takaaki finished chewing and swallowed the chocolate chunk. "That's fine. The important thing right now is our survival."

The woman nodded and adjusted her glasses. "I completely agree."

* * *

**COUNTDOWN TO JUDGMENT: 2**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... Some Takaaki backstory? I wonder where that's going...
> 
> You may have noticed that countdown there. We're only about halfway through the fic, but the reveal of the second Mastermind and the reason why the second Mastermind started this game with Tengan will be coming very soon... Stay tuned for that!


	11. Ryota Mitarai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once the bringer of death and destruction, Ryota Mitarai now had the power to save the world. This would be his redemption. This would be his salvation. And it needed to happen, or else the deaths of his colleagues would be all for naught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we begin this chapter, I thought I would point out that I added a new tag to the fic (actually, I think I had already added it before I posted the last chapter, but I forgot to mention it). Probably should have had a suicide tag before Ruruka's chapter, but I guess I figured "graphic depictions of violence" and, well, the source material, was enough. But the thing is another one will be depicted later, and it might hit a little closer to home for some readers. It's not going to happen in this chapter, but it does happen in a plot-relevant chapter, and that's a pretty big deal. I'll make another comment when it does happen, but I just want you all to know that you are important and you deserve to live. If you have suicidal thoughts, please seek help. Talk to someone. Look up and call a hotline if you need to. Stay safe. Your health, your safety, and your life is more important than this fanfiction. I'm not very good at talking about stuff like this, so I hope it sounds okay. But stay safe. That's the most important thing.

**COUNTDOWN TO JUDGMENT: 2**

* * *

Mitarai opened the door to the broadcast tower and took in the sight before him. A massive supercomputer sat in the middle of a spacious cylindrical room. Surrounding it was a ring of smaller computers and monitors that made up the master control. From there a stairway led up to the entrance of the room.

"This is it," Mitarai told himself as he made his way down the stairs. "You just need to upload the video onto the main computer, and it will broadcast the video to the entire world. You can do this, Ryota."

As Mitarai reached the master control, he noticed something off. A crucifix sat on one of the desks. A note was held in place underneath it. "You are the reason I'm here," it said.

The message made Mitarai more determined. Tengan clearly had high hopes for him to leave him such a message. To be the savior of the world... at least that's what he took from it.

"I'll do it," Mitarai said as he walked up to the supercomputer. He plugged his phone in and started the upload. "I'll save everyone."

* * *

Munakata looked back at the screen. A scowl formed on his face. "And now for the main reason we're here: discussing the progress of our goal on eliminating Ultimate Despair. This covers both the members of Despair still roaming the streets," he looked over to his fellow branch heads, "and the new developments at Hope's Peak Academy."

Mitarai shook as he heard those words. The guilt burrowed deep in his brain. Sweat poured from his pores. His head found the table, and his hands found his head. He tried to hide his labored breathing, but he was certain he wasn't succeeding.

"What's going on at Hope's Peak?" Ruruka asked.

Mitarai turned his head towards her in shock. Was she sleeping under a rock?

"You haven't heard?" Tengan asked. Ruruka shook her head.

"Then we'll fill you in," Munakata said, and Mitarai blocked out the rest of Munakata's words with an unhealthy load of self-hatred. He knew the rise of Despair was all his fault, and yet he had the gall to sit among people who were trying to save the world that he had helped destroy.

A common theme for anyone who had known that Junko Enoshima was the one behind the Tragedy was that they blamed themselves for not being able to stop it before it started. And no one in the world felt more guilty than Ryota Mitarai.

For days he had slept on rubble--ruins that he himself was responsible for--waiting for his inevitable death but being too afraid to die. Even though he knew he deserved nothing less than dying alone in his own despair, he continued to search for food and water, greedy and gluttonous, until the Future Foundation brought him to relative safety. And he stayed with them despite knowing that he was their greatest enemy.

He let Junko in. He gave her the means to brainwash the masses. None of the people in this room understood that the person responsible for the Tragedy that destroyed the world was in the room with them!

He even knew that Junko was behind the killing game going on at Hope's Peak. How could he not know? He recognized the impostor immediately. Mukuro Ikusaba, for whatever reason, was dressed like her sister, and Monokuma was no doubt the avatar of Junko Enoshima.

But he couldn't tell them that. He couldn't tell them _anything,_ because then Munakata would believe him to be an accomplice, and that would be the end of him. It wouldn't do them any good anyway if they knew. Knowing who the Mastermind was wouldn't get Class 78 out of the school any faster.

Unbeknownst to Mitarai, a set of eyes behind a pair of glasses was focused on him throughout Munakata's briefing. That same pair of eyes turned to Seiko as soon as Munakata was finished. "Kimura. Have you figured out what the perpetrator may have used to drug the students?"

"N-no," Seiko admitted. "I would need a sample of it in front of me to know for sure."

"How useless..." Ruruka muttered. Seiko hid her face with her arms.

Ignoring Ruruka's remark, Munakata spoke up once again. "Gekkogahara told me before the meeting that she believes the treatment may be related to Ultimate Neurologist Yasuke Matsuda's memory-erasing procedure. If this is the case, we should consider that whoever is behind this was once associated with Matsuda."

At the mention of Matsuda's name, Mitarai seemed to forget how to breathe. He wasn't familiar with Matsuda, but he heard the name once. He couldn't remember if it was Junko or Mukuro who mentioned him, but he had no doubt in his mind that Miaya was correct in her assumption. That only made him feel worse. If he had paid more attention back then, he could have prevented this all from happening.

"I say we nuke the damn school and get it over with," Juzo said out of nowhere, and the room became silent.

Mitarai stared at Juzo with wide eyes, and he was even more shocked that no one seemed to be responding to this. Were they actually considering this? Not only were Class 78 considered heroes among the surviving populations, but aside from the Despair Sisters none of them deserved such a fate! Were they really going to blow up a bunch of innocent young people who wouldn't have been in this predicament in the first place if it wasn't for him?

"I know those kids don't deserve it," Juzo continued, "but we need to think about the rest of the world here. This... This game... It's going to be broadcasted to the entire--"

"We are not blowing up the school!" Kizakura's outburst nearly caused Mitarai to jump out of his skin. "You said it yourself. Those kids don't deserve it. We need to get them out of there!"

"Please don't blow up the school!" Usami cried as Miaya fought back tears. "My friend's in there!"

Mitarai's breath started to return to him, but he was still shaking. At least the others agreed that this was a horrible idea.

"We're not going to blow up the school." Munakata turned to Juzo. "I want to get rid of despair as much as you do, but remember that some of the most brilliant young minds on the planet are trapped within that school. Could you imagine how the people would react? We're not even finished creating the PR branch--"

That was when Mitarai lost it.

 _"That's_ what you're worried about?!" he cried hysterically. _"Public relations?!"_

It was unbelievable that such a thing could have even been an issue. While he never went out of his way to meet the students of Class 78 when he attended Hope's Peak, Mitarai did his homework on the innocent lives trapped in the school before the meeting began. Kyoko Kirigiri, an incredibly skilled detective who had just been reunited with her father. Aoi Asahina, a friendly girl with a passion for swimming and doughnuts. Sayaka Maizono, an idol singer who did whatever she could to make her dreams come true. Kiyotaka Ishimaru, a well-meaning boy who was in the process of bringing honor back to his family name. Chihiro Fujisaki, a beloved programmer and close friend of one of his colleagues. Sakura Ogami, a martial artist with a heart of gold. Makoto Naegi, an average high school boy who won a lottery ticket to Hell. They didn't deserve this fate. _None of them_ deserved this fate. If there was a reason _not_ to nuke the school, _that_ was it!

"Everyone calm down," Tengan urged. "We are not going to blow up the school. We are going to get those kids out safely. That would be the right thing to do."

"I volunteer."

Mitarai stared at Kizakura in shock. He didn't peg Kizakura as someone who would put himself in danger, even if it was to save others.

"...Volunteer?" Tengan asked curiously.

"To get those kids out," Kizakura said. "I scouted most of those kids. They are my responsibility."

Mitarai was in awe of Kizakura's bravery. In fact, he envied it. Mitarai could never volunteer for something like that. It was too dangerous, and Mitarai wouldn't be much help anyway.

As the meeting wrapped up, Mitarai slowly brought himself to his feet. Surprised his shaking legs could still support him, he left the room, unaware that Tengan's eyes were following him to the door.

* * *

"Kimura, do you have anything to report?"

Another meeting, another day filled with immense guilt and self-loathing for Ryota Mitarai.

Mitarai looked over to Seiko as she began to speak. "I-I've been studying a poison that Mikan Tsumiki had developed. It affects the left side of the victim's body, effectively shutting off many vital organs and resulting in a gruesome display that makes the victims resemble the cursed Monokuma. I am currently working on a cure for this poison. An antagonist, to be specific. It will take some time, but I believe progress is going well."

"Excellent work, Kimura," Munakata praised.

Seiko's world seemed to brighten after hearing that, and for a brief moment Mitarai's guilt lifted and was replaced with something that he didn't feel often enough these days to fully understand. Was it happiness? Had he forgotten what happiness felt like?

"It's not going to work," Ruruka said, and whatever that feeling was immediately evaporated. "This cure is going to be useless, just like you."

Watching Seiko's heart break nearly broke Mitarai's own heart. But before he could even come close to building up the courage to stand up for her, someone beat him to it.

"You seem awfully sure of that."

Kyoko Kirigiri. One of the survivors of Class 78, and a constant reminder of Ryota Mitarai's failure.

As an animator he had always had trouble sleeping, but after the Tragedy and the events that surrounded it he could barely sleep a wink, and the massacre of Class 78 only made his insomnia worse. If only he were stronger, he could have prevented all of it from happening. But instead he had found himself under the mercy of Junko Enoshima. His weakness caused the end of the world and the deaths of innocent lives, and the brainwashing of Class 77-B and the massacre of Class 78 both cemented the harsh reality in his mind. Their deaths were his doing, and he was sure it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Ruruka left the room in a huff, and Izayoi followed her out.

The meeting became awkward after that, which didn't help Mitarai's self-esteem. He found himself looking around the room a lot, and his self-hatred grew more and more.

He looked at Kirigiri and all he could think of was her classmates who were slaughtered like pigs.

He looked at Kizakura who risked his life trying to save them and lost many colleagues in the process. One of them was a beloved physical education instructor at Hope's Peak, apparently. How wonderful.

He looked at Miaya and he could see the defeat in her eyes, her closest friend the victim of a bizarre murder than even the perpetrator hadn't meant to commit.

He looked at Great Gozu and he saw a martial artist poison herself to save the lives of her friends.

He looked at Tengan and...

Tengan was staring at him.

How long had Tengan been staring at him? Was there something on his face? Did he look unwell? Or was Tengan staring at him because he could read right through him?

That terrified Mitarai. If Tengan found out Mitarai knew more about Junko Enoshima than he let on, it was all over for him. He would be tried as Despair and executed by the Future Foundation. He was sure of it.

So in the end, Mitarai never said a word. Too weak and too afraid to do the right thing. That's how he always was, and that's how he always would be.

* * *

How things seemed to have turned around since then.

Once the bringer of death and destruction, Ryota Mitarai now had the power to save the world. This would be his redemption. This would be his _salvation._ And it needed to happen, or else the deaths of his colleagues would be all for naught.

The door opened, and Mitarai jumped at the sound. He turned around and saw Byakuya Togami at the top of the stairs, his gun pointed at Mitarai.

"Well, well. Looks like I've trapped the mouse."

Togami began making his way down the stairs. Mitarai's eyes followed him down as if watching an angel descend from the heavens.

"N-no!" Mitarai cried. "You can't! Not now!"

Togami ignored his cries. "Ryota Mitarai. You are under arrest for treason against the Future Foundation. Surrender now or--"

At the sudden silence that seemed to cut Togami off, Mitarai looked at him in confusion. Togami had stopped for a moment, seemingly distracted by the crucifix and the note on the desk. Mitarai figured he just thought it was an odd choice.

Togami quickly got his bearings back and he focused once more on Mitarai. "Surrender now or I will use force."

Mitarai held his hands up, but in his anxiety he looked away from Togami's eyes for a moment and saw a man approach him from behind. Sneaking behind Togami, he lifted the crucifix from the desk and raised it above Togami's head.

 _"LOOK OUT!"_ Mitarai cried, but his warning came too late. The man had struck Togami with the crucifix, and Togami fell to the floor.

* * *

Takaaki stared at the machine in front of him in awe. He was hesitant at first when his new companion asked if he wanted to look around the Towa Memorial Science Hall, but he was now happy he agreed to it. The inventions and innovations featured in the building were incredible! Things that he would have at one time written off as science fiction stood before his own eyes.

"It's an air purifier," the woman told him, a proud smile on her face. "A prototype sold to Towa Group six years ago. It's nowhere near as powerful as the one they had to develop after the Tragedy, but it was the first step in making that reality possible."

"Did they expect something like this to happen before it did?" Takaaki questioned.

"Not that I'm aware of," she admitted, "but the original air purifier wasn't designed with the Tragedy in mind. The idea was sparked from a desire to eliminate greenhouse gasses in hopes of lessening the effects of climate change."

Takaaki looked at her, one of his eyebrows raised. "You seem to know an awful lot about this thing."

She smirked at him. "Of course. I'm the one who invented it."

Wide-eyed, Takaaki looked back at the machine, and then back at his fellow survivor, stammering noncoherent syllables the entire time. "Y-you invented this?" He laughed lightheartedly. "That's incredible! You must be some kind of supergenius!"

She laughed back and waved her hand in front of her. "Oh, stop! You'll make me blush! Seriously, I'm not used to this kind of reaction. Usually it's 'oh, you were probably just the guy's assistant' or 'you were probably his girlfriend' or something. Neanderthals."

"Really? That's a shame," Takaaki said. "It shouldn't matter what your gender is. If you create something, you ought to be recognized for it."

The inventor chuckled, but turned away before he could see she was indeed blushing. "Thank you, but... I should probably tell you this right now before you get the wrong idea. I'm a happily married woman."

Takaaki started stammering again. "Uh-bu-wha... No! I wasn't thinking that at all!" He turned away from her to hide his own blush. "Damn, did I really come off that way?"

"Well, you never know," she said. "Considering the situation we're in, I mean."

"Fair point," he admitted. When he was sure his face was no longer burning, he turned back to the inventor. "So, if you're married, where is..."

A bleak silence fell upon them as Takaaki began to piece some likely scenarios together in his brain. "Uh, um... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have--"

"No, it's okay," she said. She adjusted her glasses. "It... started when the Tragedy first occurred. My, uh..." She hesitated for a moment. "My daughter... She was away from home when it happened. She said something about staying with her friends, and that was the last we heard from her. My husband..." She paused as her breathing became shallow. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "My... my husband went to look for her. I told him to let the police handle it, but... he insisted, and... then he went missing too."

Takaaki's chest weighed heavy. He offered a comforting hand. She took his hand in hers, and they both waited in silence for her to regain her strength.

When she seemed calm enough to continue the conversation, Takaaki spoke. "My wife passed away a few years ago. Er, a few years before I was abducted, but I don't know how long ago that was. My son was all I had for a long time. I'm separated from him as well. I want to believe he's alive, but... I'm beginning to lose hope."

"I want to believe my family's alive too," the inventor said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "They were always... worried that I was disappointed in them. I was always the more outgoing and adventurous of the three of us, and I think they felt they were holding me back. But that couldn't be further from the truth." Her lips wavered. "They were my muse. My inspiration. I love them both with all of my heart. If there was anything that has ever held me back, it's not knowing where they are now."

Takaaki sighed, his heart breaking from the sadness of her voice and the words she spoke. He held his other hand over hers and gave it a few pats. "We'll find them," he assured her. "I promise."

She smiled at his attempts to lift her spirits, but it was short lived. Before either could say a word, a loud crack echoed through the hall.

Their eyes darted around, fearful that their sanctuary might be have been breached. That fear grew as more cracks began to sound, and reached its height when the cracks were replaced with the shattering of glass.

* * *

**COUNTDOWN TO JUDGMENT: 1**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that doesn't sound good.
> 
> Unfortunately I didn't have too many ideas for Mitarai's chapter, but I think the anime did a good enough job with his characterization that I didn't really need to. So instead I opted for meeting scenes we've already seen before, but from Mitarai's perspective. And, of course, moving the plot forward, because really it's about time I do that.
> 
> So yeah, this chapter is mostly just a transition of sorts. Also, this isn't the last we'll see Mitarai either, so there will be more opportunities for adding something new for his character in a later chapter if I'm inspired to do so.
> 
> One last thing to note: you may be thinking that there is some really heavy-handed symbolism with that crucifix, and you're right! But I'm also writing this chapter mostly from Mitarai's perspective. I imagine him with a bit of an artistic mindset that gets the better of him the more worked up he gets. Hence the "Messiah complex" he kind of has here. He thinks the crucifix is symbolic of him being the savior of the world. Oh, you poor fool...


	12. Byakuya Togami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "In the end, isn't life itself just a game? There are winners and there are losers. There are rules, and sometimes people break them. And when rules get broken, people get hurt or killed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, this chapter is probably going to make a few people mad. For multiple reasons!
> 
> A part of me is a little upset that no one seemed to want to solve the mystery as it was being told, but at the same time I think much of that is my fault because I'm not very good at responding to comments, and that probably discourages people from commenting. So while it's probably a little late to say this, I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to give me feedback on the story. I appreciate every comment I get, even if I don't respond to them. Thank you so much.
> 
> And thank you, those of you who have given this fic kudos, who have bookmarked this fic, and who are just reading it for the heck of it. I'm happy to have provided a story that has caught your interest.
> 
> One more thing to add before we get to the fic: two of the flashbacks in this chapter are from scenes from the first Danganronpa game. I couldn't decide if I should use the dialogue from the orenronen Let's Play or the official English translation, so I took a third option and attempted to write the dialogue in my own words, using phrasing that I could picture the characters themselves saying. Any resemblance to the Project Zetsubou translation is entirely coincidental.
> 
> Once again, thanks for the support. Now prepare to hate my guts.

**COUNTDOWN TO JUDGMENT: 1**

* * *

Tengan waited at their usual meeting place for the second Mastermind, ready to share information that may aid both of them in the killing game they were planning.

The man showed up, and Tengan smiled warmly at him. "Good evening, my friend."

"We're friends now?" the man questioned. "That's discouraging."

"I assumed our business relationship was one built on a common goal, so yes," Tengan said.

The man pulled a laptop out of his bag and booted it up. "Alright, you said you have some new information for me?"

Tengan nodded. "It's being kept under wraps, but... Gekkogahara has been murdered."

"So I've heard," the man muttered under his breath.

"It's too bad. I know you said once you wanted to spare her from the game," Tengan recalled.

"When I told Monaka to keep her out of the game, this wasn't what I had in mind," the man admitted.

"I know."

They began to go over their plan once more. Tengan had all the supplies ready for the game, and the date was set.

When they finished going over their plan, Tengan jarringly changed the subject. "Did you know I was the first ever Ultimate Lucky Student at Hope's Peak Academy?"

The man gave him a funny look. "I didn't think the lottery went back that far."

"It didn't," Tengan said with pride. "I was scouted."

"You don't say."

"Everything always seems to go my way," Tengan explained. "Slots, pachinko, underground gambling rings... I never lost a game in my life. Hope's Peak noticed. And so did the Yakuza, and I survived every attempt on my life through sheer luck. I think the only way I could really die is if I allow it to happen," he said with a laugh.

"Really?" the man said, though it wasn't so much a question as it was disbelief and annoyance.

"Mmhmm! And as for the lottery, well, it was actually my idea in the first place," Tengan told him. "Not everyone agreed with me that it was a good idea, and it's been removed and reinstated a couple of times, but I figured anyone lucky enough to become randomly chosen as a student for Hope's Peak Academy could be considered an Ultimate Lucky Student. Don't you agree?"

The man shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry to point this out to you, but luck isn't exactly a talent."

"Oh?" Tengan's smile shifted to a sly grin. "Funny you should say that. If I recall, _you_ were the Ultimate Lucky Student of your class, were you not?"

* * *

Naegi didn't think things could get worse after the first trial. His childhood crush, Sayaka Maizono, was killed, but she was also a perpetrator. She tried to kill someone and frame _him_ for it. That someone was also killed for killing Maizono. Leon Kuwata, who had dreams of leaving baseball and becoming a rockstar. They were both dead, along with Junko Enoshima. And even when some of his classmates apologized to him afterwards for doubting him, and even though they were starting to trust him again, the pain was still there. The pain of being accused. The pain of being framed. The pain of losing someone close to him. He had never experienced such pain in his life.

He didn't think things could get worse after the first trial, but he was proven wrong. The second trial took a heavy toll on him as well. A dear friend killed in a fit of rage. A remorseful man executed for a crime he couldn't even fully remember. A broken soul who tried desperately to stop the execution but couldn't do anything about it.

He couldn't hold his tears back even if he tried. It was all too much. Why was this happening to them? What kind of person would set up something like this? Who would want Chihiro Fujisaki dead? Who would want to drive Mondo Owada to murder? Who would kidnap high school students, hold their families hostage, look up all of their secrets, just so they would murder each other?

Naegi wasn't the only one to be in such pain. Ishimaru was taking it the hardest out of everyone there. His thoughts about Chihiro's untimely death likely mirrored Naegi's, but he had also lost his new best friend to this horrible nightmare. His face was blue and he looked like he was about to drown in his own tears. Naegi didn't have to imagine how much pain Ishimaru was feeling, because every single bit of it was shown on his face.

Most of the other students were also affected by this trial. Asahina was crying. Sakura wasn't, but she bowed her head to mourn the loss of life. Kirigiri didn't show any signs of mourning, but after the first trial Naegi knew she wasn't as cold as she appeared to be. She probably cared as much as he did, but she had an unwavering sense of professionalism and wouldn't allow herself to get attached if she could help it. Even Celestia Ludenberg and Genocider Syo, two people Naegi didn't really expect to care at all, were awfully silent by the end of the trial.

There was, however, one person who clearly didn't care. One person who let it be known _just how much_ he didn't care. Naegi hoped that, like with Kirigiri, this too was an act, like a coping mechanism of some sort. But every time he tried to give the scion the benefit of the doubt, Togami would say something that challenged his trusting nature.

"This game was over far too early."

There it was.

"How can you call this a game?" Asahina angrily asked him, tears still streaming down her face. "Our friends are dead!"

"What did you expect? This _is_ a game of life and death."

Even Kirigiri was disgusted by Togami's behavior, but she moved past it and asked him the question that was on everyone's minds, but no one had to stomach to ask. "What was the purpose of throwing us off the trail?"

Togami reacted like Kirigiri was an idiot for not figuring it out right away. As far as he was concerned, he was simply playing the game and watching our every move, like a man watching a game of chess and studying the players' strategies so that he could have the advantage when it was his turn to play.

Naegi was scared of Togami's lack of empathy. Not because he thought Togami was going to kill him, but because it made this nightmare all the more believable. Naegi had once hoped that this was just a really long, exhausting dream, and that at some point he would wake up and everyone would be alive and well. But that wasn't going to happen. They were awake. They were dying. There really were monsters in this world.

* * *

When the group made it outside the underwater facility, they were immediately welcomed by gunships.

"These guys just don't give up, do they?" Asahina groaned.

"I want my mommy..." Hagakure mumbled under his breath.

Munakata narrowed his eyes. "Alright. On three, we scatter."

"You're kidding, right?" Hagakure asked desperately.

"One," Munakata began, ignoring Hagakure.

"Get ready," Asahina whispered to Naegi.

"Two."

"We're actually doing this, aren't we?" Hagakure muttered.

"Three!"

Naegi hopped on Asahina's back and the survivors ran in different directions. Gunfire rained down around them, but the gunners didn't seem to bother aiming at them. Instead they seemed to be directing the survivors in certain paths, forcing them to change directions to keep from running into gunfire.

Asahina found cover behind a collapsed wall. While not the safest place to be, it was better than being out in the open.

"We're sitting ducks," Naegi mumbled. Asahina could feel his body shaking in fright. "What are we going to do?"

Asahina let Naegi down. "I don't know." She peered around the wall and saw the gunships were no longer focused on them. "I don't think they're trying to kill us though. I think they're trying to keep us away from Mitarai."

Naegi glanced around the wall as well. "Yeah... I think you're right."

"You think we should make a run for it?" Asahina asked. "I mean... we're not going to reach Mitarai just by sitting here."

Naegi focused his attention on the broadcast tower in the distance, and a smile formed on his face. "We might not need to. Look!"

Asahina followed his gaze, and her face lit up. "Oh! Togami made it!"

"I guess he must have slipped past them," Naegi said.

"Well that's good," Asahina said with a sigh. "If any of us can finish this, it's Togami. But we shouldn't just stick around here either. Let's take a moment to breathe and see if we can find an opening."

"Right."

* * *

Togami reached the broadcast tower with surprising ease. Clearly the gunships were trying to keep the group separated, but it almost seemed like the gunships allowed him to reach the tower. Did they not find him a threat? Togami scoffed at this. Aside from Munakata, he was the biggest threat Mitarai was facing.

He opened the door to the broadcast tower, scaring the former Ultimate Animator nearly out of his skin. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at Mitarai.

"Well, well. Looks like I've trapped the mouse." Togami made his way down the stairs as Mitarai began to break down. "Ryota Mitarai. You are under arrest for treason against the Future Foundation." He reached the landing. "Surrender now or--"

Togami stopped as a strange sight caught his eye. A crucifix sat on a nearby desk. Underneath it was a note that said "You are the reason I'm here."

There was a brief moment after reading those words that Togami felt a chill run down his spine. He understood how these things went. It was never this easy. There was always some kind of trick with these Masterminds.

Still, Mitarai had proven himself to be dangerous. If Togami were to be distracted long enough, Mitarai could find a way to escape this situation. Togami was not about to let him slip through his fingers. The Mastermind could wait.

He returned his attention back to Mitarai. "Surrender now or I will use force."

To Mitarai's credit, he complied with Togami's threat and held his hands up in surrender. But before Togami could arrest him, he saw the shock in Mitarai's eyes and realized Mitarai wasn't looking at him.

_"LOOK OUT!"_

* * *

_SLAP!_

Togami reeled back, stunned by the sudden action and the light pain now slowly fading from his face. Byakuya Togami had never been slapped. No one had ever dared to slap him. And if he _were_ to be slapped, he didn't expect it to be some annoying girl far beneath his level of importance.

"You're a monster," Asahina said, her eyes full of hatred. "You're the one who should die."

Naegi would have never expected someone like Asahina to say something like that to another person. He knew that this horrible "game" that Togami kept calling it was taking a toll on her, and a part of him was honestly happy that someone finally slapped Togami in the face, but it was terrifying to see Asahina act like this. Not to mention that wishing death on someone, Naegi felt, was not the best thought to have, especially in an environment where murder was all too common.

Togami didn't stand down. He even tried to persuade her into killing him, and Asahina was actually considering it.

"Asahina! Calm down!" Naegi cried, trying his best to stop the situation from escalating.

"This is exactly what the Mastermind wants," Kirigiri warned Asahina. "And what Ogami was trying to avoid."

Asahina backed down. Kirigiri saved the day yet again.

"What's the matter?" Togami asked, trying to get under Asahina's skin again. "I thought you said you were going to kill me."

The room was silent. Even if the situation had cooled down, tensions were as high as they had ever been.

"...I'll be in my room..." Asahina left the cafeteria, still boiling with anger.

Togami seemed unfazed despite the fact that someone had just threatened his life. "Just as I thought," he said, crossing his arms. "Just another hysterical little girl. Not worth my time."

There had been a lot of times when Naegi wished he could stand up to Togami and confront him about the way he treated the rest of them. It wasn't like he never tried, but he could never last long enough in a conversation with Togami to reach him. Togami appeared to be an immovable, unwavering object, forever locked in his narcissistic worldview, looking down upon the peons that dared to walk the same earth and breathe the same oxygen he did. They could all die for all he cared. He wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it.

Naegi couldn't stand up to Togami.

But Kirigiri could.

"You don't really care about other people's feelings, do you, Togami?"

Togami rolled his eyes. "Your point?"

"Just a warning," Kirigiri said. "One of these days that attitude is going to come back and haunt you."

Togami scoffed. "I'd love to see that."

* * *

When Togami regained consciousness he found he was tied to a chair, his arms bound behind him. Unlike the other chairs in the room, this one was an antique dining chair and didn't have wheels, so his legs were essentially useless. He couldn't believe how careless he had been to allow for this predicament to happen in the first place. Someone of his skill and with the power of his name should never have ended up in this position.

"You're like a cockroach, you know that?" a voice from behind him said.

This new voice was not familiar to Togami, but he understood perfectly that it was the voice of the Mastermind. And though the sound of the man's voice wasn't familiar to him, the sound of a pistol being pulled out of a sheath and being cocked certainly was.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Mitarai was about to run to Togami's aid, but he stopped when the man pointed the gun at him. Mitarai was halfway across the large room. He knew that if he tried anything the man would have been able to shoot him long before he reached them. Holding his hands up, Mitarai backed off and returned to the supercomputer.

"That's right, kid," the man said as he lowered his gun. "Don't you worry about us. Just worry about uploading that video of yours."

Togami angrily bared his teeth. "Do you have any idea who I am? I am--"

"Byakuya Togami, of the prestigious Togami family," the man answered as if it was no big deal. "I know all about you. I've heard stories. I've seen photos. And I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time."

"You have, huh?" Togami growled. "Well congratulations. You've got me. What are you going to do? Hold me for ransom?"

"No, no. Nothing like that," the man said in a strangely polite fashion. "I'm going to kill you."

"Well you're doing a poor job," Togami mocked him. "I'm still here."

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you yet," the man said. "No, that would be too convenient for you. To die thinking that you're some kind of martyr for the Future Foundation. No, I want you to know _exactly_ why your death is coming to you. So that you can feel the same pain that _you_ put me through."

"...I see." Togami was beginning to piece the puzzle together. "That bomb. Those gunships. This was all a trap, wasn't it? To lure me to my grave."

"You've figured it out!" the man exclaimed in insincere excitement. "Nice work, Togami."

Togami laughed despite the situation he now found himself in. "I must say you have piqued my curiosity. So why did you want _me_ so badly? Naegi and Kirigiri are usually the ones credited with dismantling Ultimate Despair, and you had them right where you wanted them."

The man scoffed. "What are you people _always_ going on about? Ultimate Despair this, Junko Enoshima that! Tengan wouldn't shut up about her! I don't even know who she is! I couldn't care _less_ about Junko Enoshima!"

This took Togami by surprise. "Then why the killing game? What was the purpose of having all these people kill themselves?"

The man took a moment to think about his answer. "Well... it seemed to be the only way to get you out of hiding. I could never get close to you otherwise. You were heavily protected under the Future Foundation's wings. I needed to weaken the organization itself. _That_ part was easy once I had Tengan on my side, but that wasn't enough. I needed _you_ to come to _me._ And then... opportunity struck."

"Makoto Naegi's trial," Togami deduced.

"That's right! When Tengan informed me of the trial I knew it was finally my chance! The game had been set up for months, but there was no point in going through with it if there wasn't any bait. But now there _was,_ because now your friends' lives would be at stake. And to make sure things went my way, I came up with a lie and said the game was being broadcasted, because I knew that your friends would try to contact you for help. And it worked! You fell right into my trap!"

Togami was impressed. This man was intelligent, that was for certain. He managed to con everyone for the sake of killing one man. But that still didn't answer his question.

"So aren't you going to tell me why you want to kill me so badly?"

The man sighed. "If you haven't figured it out yet, you're clearly not worthy of being the Ultimate Affluent Progeny."

The room was silent for a moment, until Mitarai spoke up. "You brought up his Ultimate title..."

"Hm?"

"You could have said anything else," Mitarai pointed out. "His family, his social status, but you focused on the title he was given at Hope's Peak Academy."

Togami nodded as he continued putting the puzzle pieces together in his mind. "I see. So this _is_ because of the School Life of Mutual Killing, isn't it?"

"Now you're getting it," the man said, confirming Togami's thoughts.

"Well, I don't know if you realize this, Mastermind, but I never killed anyone in that school."

"I never said you did."

The man stepped around the chair, and for the first time Togami was able to see the Mastermind's face. Regret immediately washed over Togami. He had never seen the man before in his life, but the man's seemingly ageless complexion reminded him of someone from his past. He turned his head to try to get a good look at the cable that bound him to the chair. He saw a plug on the end of it. It was a power cable. Upon realizing this, he recalled the crucifix, and it all came together. The crucifix wasn't a symbol of hope. Its purpose was to bring Togami despair.

Kirigiri's words played on repeat in his head.

_"One of these days that attitude is going to come back and haunt you."_

Togami took several deep breaths. The puzzle was complete, but he didn't like what he had solved. He closed his eyes. "I'm not going to pretend that I don't deserve what's coming to me. You are absolutely right. There was a time when I cared very little about any life that wasn't my own or of the elite. I'd like to think I'm a better person now than I was back then, but that does not take away the sins I've committed in the past. Some people may be able to escape the consequences of their actions, but this is not always the case, and it seems these consequences have finally caught up to me."

"You're taking all the satisfaction out of this, you know," the Mastermind told him.

Togami smirked. "Maybe that's the idea."

"So you're still playing the game."

"In the end, isn't life itself just a game?" Togami asked. "There are winners and there are losers. There are rules, and sometimes people break them. And when rules get broken, people get hurt or killed." He frowned. "I meant every word that I said though. I have learned a lot in these past few years. I have a lot of regrets. If it was possible to go back in time, I would slap my own damn self in the face for being so stupid. But there comes a time when a man moves into the house he has built for himself. It's his own fault if the floorboards creak and the wood is rotten. If the game is over for me, then so be it."

The Mastermind stood silent for some time. Togami, already having conceded to his fate, smiled back at his would-be killer. "What's the matter?" he asked, trying to get under the Mastermind's skin. "I thought you said you were going to kill me."

The Mastermind shook. It was clear to Togami that this was the first time the man would actually directly kill anyone. It was one thing to plan a game where people kill each other. It was another beast entirely to be the one to pull the trigger. He wouldn't be able to dissociate himself from that.

"Please forgive me," the Mastermind said, his voice wavering. "This Tragedy has affected me in ways you couldn't possibly imagine."

"It's affected us all," Togami said, understanding the Mastermind's plight. "Despair is a disease that, under the right circumstances, is worse than the Plague itself. It rots you from the inside out until you're nothing more than a shell of your former self. Don't misunderstand me; I am not saying this because I want to die. But if my game ends here, then so be it.

"Still," Togami continued with a smirk, "you must ask yourself something as you consider your options. What will you do once I'm dead? Will you find peace? Acceptance? Or will your despair continue to fester? Do you hope that divine intervention will occur, and he will materialize out of thin air and run back into your arms? I'm sorry to say that this is not how the game is played, but I'm sure you're already aware of that. Or perhaps you simply have nothing left to lose, and you were willing to go all-in on the gamble of your life just for one small taste of victory. Isn't that right, Mr. Fujisaki?"

The Mastermind nodded and aimed the pistol at Togami's head. "May the next life be easier on all of us."

He pulled the trigger, and Mitarai screamed in horror.

* * *

**COUNTDOWN TO JUDGMENT: 0**


	13. The Second Mastermind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only one thought remained prevalent in Taichi's mind: Chihiro was sacrificed by the people he cared about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Taichi Fujisaki.

Takaaki was slumped over a table, his head only held up by his hands. The file he had borrowed from Kanon was open in front of him, photographs of corpses lying haphazardly around it. He stared at the photo directly in front of him. The photo showed the bodies of two young men lying on the floor, their heads bashed in from what Takaaki assumed was a large blunt object.

Tears rolled down Takaaki's face. He recognized one of those boys--a boy he wanted to see more than anything, but he would never see again.

The door opened. Takaaki looked up and nodded. After wiping away his tears, Takaaki placed the photos back in the folder and closed the file.

"You wanted to talk to me?" his friend asked.

"Yeah." Takaaki offered him a seat. "There's... no easy way to say this." Once the man was seated, Takaaki passed the file over to him. "You need to see this."

The man opened the file. The first thing he saw was a pile of photographs of corpses. "What the hell is this?" he asked in shock.

Takaaki took a deep breath. As a former police officer, having to share news like this was not uncommon, but he could never get used to it. And because this time the news was more personal than it ever had been before, this was the hardest arrangement of words he ever had to say to another person.

"They're dead, Taichi."

Taichi Fujisaki clutched at his bandaged gut, his body turning cold in sheer terror as Takaaki's words began to sink in. He looked over the photos again. He moved them around until he saw the photo at the bottom of the pile. He took off his glasses and dug his fingers into his face. "No..." His head shook back and forth as denial consumed him. "No, no, no, nononononono..."

"I'm sorry, Taichi."

"No, shut up!" Taichi snapped at him. It was so unlike him that Takaaki nearly jumped out of his seat, but he couldn't blame Taichi for his outburst either. No loving father would blame him for how he was reacting to this news. "He can't be dead! Chihiro can't be dead!"

Takaaki watched as Taichi's eyes darted left and right, scanning the photo for any possible evidence of a forgery. This photograph had to be fake. It was taken and edited by some kind of sick despair-obsessed monster. Takaaki knew Taichi was thinking this because he had been hoping the same thing. The photograph in question was too surreal to even exist. What kind of sick bastard would murder such an innocent-looking child and put them in such a horrific display? Even with the world in the state it was currently in, this image was barbaric and mortifying.

Takaaki knew this revelation was going to be a huge blow to Taichi. He remembered the day they found him. It wasn't long after Takaaki was rescued when Hiroko's team found another Captive near the Towa Memorial Science Hall--someone Hiroko wasn't expecting to find as she believed he was dead. The heavily injured man, through sheer will and luck along with some haphazardly applied gauze and antibiotics likely scavenged from a nearby hospital, struggling to carry a laptop in his weak arms, screamed to the heavens for his son. Adrenalin only got him so far, and once he was in Hiroko's care he was bedridden for some time. It was a miracle he had survived at all. But even when he lay there on that bed, in no shape to search for his dear child, Taichi would desperately ask Hiroko where Chihiro was. Hiroko would not allow herself to sugarcoat the situation, knowing it might lead to heartbreak. Instead she told him they would look for his child and left it at that.

Taichi's hands trembled and he set the photograph down. "This can't be real. What did Chihiro do to--"

"Deserve this?" Takaaki asked, finishing Taichi's thought. He shook his head. "No one deserves any of this." Takaaki let out a sad laugh. There was nothing else he could do _but_ laugh. This life was a joke, and the Tragedy was the punchline.

Taichi looked over the rest of the photographs. He immediately noticed the resemblance one of the corpses had with the man sitting across from him. He also recognized the idol Sayaka Maizono, whose music Chihiro occasionally listened to, and some of the other students from pictures Chihiro had happily sent his father during his time at Hope's Peak. They were all dead, including Chihiro.

Taichi turned his attention toward the document that accompanied the photographs. The document listed details about some sort of "game" that Class 78 of Hope's Peak had taken part in. This game resulted in the deaths seen in the photos. According to the document, the deceased were sacrificed in order for the remaining survivors to escape the game.

Only one thought remained prevalent in Taichi's mind: Chihiro was sacrificed by the people he cared about.

The thought disgusted Taichi. How could they? How _dare_ they? Chihiro wasn't just some rag doll that could be tossed aside like nothing. Chihiro was his only son and the greatest gift he could have ever asked for. His love and his pride for his son was unmatched, because an angel like Chihiro deserved nothing less. Taichi was certainly aware that Chihiro was bullied relentlessly in his childhood, but he could have never imagined that people Chihiro was actually happy to be around would eventually take his life and prop him up like some kind of puppet. What practical sense did it even make to kill him? Chihiro was a child prodigy--a beautiful ray of sunshine with a brilliant mind that no doubt had the power to clear the heavy clouds from this dark and forsaken world. What kind of people were they to lead his wonderful son on like this and lead him to this horrendous fate?

He reread the document and his eyes fell on the words "Future Foundation." He knew about them. He recalled that one of Chihiro's friends came into contact with him before he was abducted, asking him if he was okay with her offering a project she and Chihiro had worked on to the Future Foundation. She couldn't contact Chihiro because he had gone into hiding with his classmates. Upon remembering this detail, Taichi angrily shut the file. His son wasn't just happy to be around his classmates. Chihiro trusted his classmates with his life, and they took it from him!

"Taka," Taichi started. He looked up to find that Takaaki was gone. Confused, Taichi looked around the room for his companion. "Takaaki?"

Taichi heard the door open and turned to find Hiroko standing in the doorway.

"Someone moved the barricade."

* * *

"Oh?" Tengan's smile shifted to a sly grin. "Funny you should say that. If I recall, _you_ were the Ultimate Lucky Student of your class, were you not?"

Taichi lowered his head. "I didn't belong there."

Tengan hummed. "It's a shame you feel that way, Taichi. I'm sure that one girl in your class would have disagreed with you. What was her title again? The Ultimate Inventor?"

Taichi's head shot up like it was spring-loaded. His angry glare nearly pierced Tengan's overly friendly facade. "Don't you _dare_ bring up my family again. You understand?"

Tengan raised his hands in defeat. "Alright. But I do have one question, if you don't mind me asking."

"...Fine."

"You wanted to keep Gekkogahara out of the game, and I understand why. But why do you seem fine with putting his other friends in danger?"

Taichi lowered his gaze, his anger replaced with sadness. It was clear to Tengan that the thought troubled Taichi. Over time Taichi learned that the survivors of Class 78 weren't responsible for the murders, and most of them didn't want Chihiro to die. But Taichi still balled his fists as he thought about his son's corpse hanging from the weight machine, the person responsible for that display, and the fact that the entire murder could have been prevented if they all worked together to keep each other safe.

"They failed to protect him. That's how I see it."

Tengan nodded. "I see," he said as he made his way to the exit. But before Tengan walked through the door, Taichi stopped him with his words.

"Are you sure this is the only way to get to him?" Taichi asked.

"Awfully late to be asking that question," Tengan said with a chuckle. "Are you having second thoughts?"

Taichi hesitated as he stared into Tengan's eyes, but after a moment of uncertainty he shook his head. "No. Never mind. Forget I said anything."

Tengan nodded. "Then we will proceed as planned." He turned around to leave, and for a split second Taichi thought he saw a twinkle in the old man's eyes.

Once Tengan was gone, Taichi buried his face in his hands, now more unsure of what he wanted than before. Was it worth doing all of this just to kill Byakuya Togami? Taichi didn't know anymore, but it was too late to back down now. Gekkogahara was dead, and the plan was already set in motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just thought I'd point out here that, yes, I have been foreshadowing this from the beginning and this wasn't pulled entirely out of my ass. Pretty much every scene featuring Hiroko and Kanon up to this point have foreshadowed it, even if I tried to employ misdirection as well.
> 
> For example: back in chapter one Hiroko feels horrible about not being able to save Yuta. Taichi, on the other hand, is not mentioned.
> 
> For the record, I'm sure that in official canon Taichi Fujisaki is dead as all hell, but I love the speculation that came with some of the decisions made in DR:AE. Specifically, the fact that Taichi's body and the laptop are missing when you revisit the spot where he died, and in his place is a note basically saying he will not rest until he finds his family. So while it's probably just laziness on Spike Chunsoft's part, I'd like to think that Taichi pulled some Mick Foley/Juzo Sakakura bullshit and kept on fighting after being mauled half to death. Makes for great fanfiction fodder, in my humble opinion.


	14. Takaaki Ishimaru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taichi nodded sympathetically. "You're a good father, Taka."
> 
> The former police officer shook his head. "No, I'm not. If I was, my son would still be here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS THE REASON WHY I ADDED THE SUICIDE TAG.
> 
> Unfortunately it's also kind of an important chapter, so I can't really say that you should skip it if you're invested in the story. Instead I'm going to ask that you all please be careful and stay safe. This is simply a work of fiction based on another work of fiction, and I don't want it to influence any of you in an extremely negative and very real-world way. Your lives are important and worth living.
> 
> So yeah... Would you look at that! I'm finally updating this fic!
> 
> Actually, there are a number of reasons why it took so long for me to update this. Writer's block, real life issues, and the heavy subject matter of this chapter are pretty much the main reasons. Also, I'm not exactly thrilled about my capabilities (or lack thereof) as a writer. I wish I was better at putting to paper the ideas that are in my head. It's a shame, because I always thought I was decent at writing, and teachers and professors usually gave me positive comments about it, but anytime I look at my writing I always feel like it could use work, even after many revisions. But I'm going to give this a shot anyway. I mean I know it's a fanfiction and fanfictions aren't always known for having the best quality of writing, but I want to give you guys my best when I write, and I hope it's coming through here.

"Father, may I ask why I was not allowed to visit my friends?"

Takaaki set his chopsticks down. "Is this a discussion to be having at dinner?"

"I apologize," Kiyotaka said, his face downcast.

Takaaki sighed as he watched his son deflate in front of him. Life had already been incredibly difficult with the weight of his father's scandals weighing down on his family, but with his wife's death came a dark cloud of despair that would follow Takaaki and his son wherever they went. But despite all of their hardships, Takaaki still persisted and tried his best to provide for Kiyotaka and protect him from the harsh world they lived in.

"I'm sorry, Taka, but you said this guy's the leader of a biker gang, right?" Takaaki asked. "Do you really want to hang out with someone like that?"

"He's a good man when you get to know him," Kiyotaka said in Mondo's defense.

Takaaki shook his head. "Look, I just don't want to see you mixed in with the wrong crowd. Kids your age shouldn't be riding around on motorcycles anyway. They're extremely dangerous."

"But--"

"I said no," Takaaki said sternly.

The finality of Takaaki's response rendered Kiyotaka silent, and they spent several uncomfortable minutes quietly eating their dinner. Only when he finished his meal did Kiyotaka dare to speak again.

"Is this about Grandfather?" he asked.

Takaaki didn't answer him, and their argument ended there.

 

* * *

 

Broken Monokuma parts were scattered all over the main floor of Towa Memorial Science Hall. In the center of the room a woman was lying in a pool of her own blood. Next to her knelt Takaaki Ishimaru, desperately trying in vain to treat her wounds.

"Mr. Ishimaru," she struggled to say. "I don't think I'm going to make it..."

"Don't say that. You're going to be fine," Takaaki said, attempting to comfort her.

"You insult my intelligence, Mr. Ishimaru," she told him between coughs. "I can't move... I think my legs are broken. I'm having trouble breathing... I've lost too much blood... I don't want to die, but I can already feel myself slipping away."

Takaaki shook his head. "I'll get you help, ma'am. I promise."

"You have a family to find," she reminded him.

"So do you," he replied back.

She smiled as she thought of her family. "I know... but I'm afraid that's not going to happen. You still have a chance to find your son, Mr. Ishimaru... Don't waste it trying to help me." She closed her eyes. "There is a photo in my jacket pocket. You will do more for me by finding them and keeping them safe. That's all I want... I want them to be safe."

Takaaki reluctantly reached into her jacket's pocket and pulled out the photograph. The picture appeared to be of an adult man and his teenage daughter. "Is this your family?"

"Yeah."

Takaaki looked over the photo. He recognized the school in the background, but he chose to ignore that detail. "Your husband looks like a good man, and your daughter is lovely," Takaaki said, trying his best to smile. "You have a wonderful family. I wish I could bring all three of you together."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "Please find them, Mr. Ishimaru. I'm putting my trust in you to do so. I know they will be in good hands. Please... I love them with all of my heart. Please look after them. Please keep them safe..." Her breathing was replaced with harsh coughing and desparate gasps for air. She soon lost consciousness, never to wake up again.

The former police officer wiped the tears from his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time that someone had trusted him with such a request. He would make it count, for the sake of a civilian he had met only a few days ago.

 

* * *

 

  
Taichi found Takaaki on the roof of the bunker. Takaaki was looking out into the red skies beyond the desolate city that was once the only place the wave of despair hadn't reached. Takaaki didn't seem to be aware of Taichi's presence.

"What are you doing up here, Taka?" Taichi asked.

Takaaki made no attempt to turn toward Taichi. Instead he continued to stare at the sky.

A minute passed, and Taichi was as anxious as ever. The news that was just dropped on him didn't help matters. He reached out a hand.

"How long has it been since we've seen a blue sky?" Takaaki asked, and Taichi pulled his hand back.

"What?" Taichi dared to ask.

"I don't even remember what one looks like anymore."

Those words made Taichi falter. The bleak reality surrounding him sank further in his heart.

Takaaki finally turned to face Taichi. His face was void of emotion. "When my family fell into disgrace, I did everything I could to give my son the life he deserved. I tried to keep him on the right path, and I taught him how important it was to have good morals. I kept him away from bad influences as much as I could, to the point where I think he may have even resented me for it. And I joined the police force so that I could set an example for him to follow. I wanted him to be proud of being an Ishimaru--to give him something to be proud of."

Taichi nodded sympathetically. "You're a good father, Taka."

The former police officer shook his head. "No, I'm not. If I was, my son would still be here."

Pain shot through Taichi's chest again. He wasn't sure if Takaaki realized how his choice of words would affect a fellow father. "There... there was nothing you could do."

"I'm a police officer," Takaaki explained to him, "and yet I spent a year and a half sitting in a cozy apartment while my son was being brutally murdered in some sick game." He let out a sad, disturbed chuckle. "My blood is cursed. Cursed with the sins of a corrupted man. Cursed to drown in despair until there's nothing left but pain and sorrow."

Takaaki turned back toward the horizon and began to kick off his loafers. "But perhaps there is a way to reclaim my family's honor. As the samurai of old used to do."

Taichi shivered from the chill that flowed through him. "Taka... Takaaki? I-I know we're both in really bad shape right now, but... but let's talk this out, okay?"

Takaaki ignored him. "I have a confession to make, Taichi." He took something out of his pocket. "I never told you this, but when I was hiding from those damn bears, I met your wife."

"...What?" Taichi barely whispered, thoughts of his wife overriding the concerns he was having for his friend.

"We survived together for several days," Takaaki continued, "but one day I let my guard down. We were attacked, and she was killed. But before she died, she asked me to find her family and keep them safe." He turned to hand the object to Taichi. Taichi's heart sank even further when his eyes fell on a photograph of him and Chihiro.

"I didn't mean to keep this information from you," Takaaki explained. "I wanted to wait until you were reunited with your child. That way you could grieve together, and you'd have each other for comfort. But you already knew she was gone, didn't you? That's why you were crying out to him when we found you, right? You saw her body."

Takaaki waited for a response from Taichi, but he didn't get one. After some time had passed, Takaaki finished his apology.

"I'm sorry for keeping this from you. I hope you can forgive me."

Taichi continued to stare at the photo as if it were something he had never seen before, even though he carried the same photo with him at all times. His thumb rubbed against the image of Chihiro's hair as if he were trying to brush it back. Never again would he be able to ruffle his son's hair, or tell him how proud he was of him. Never again could he tell him he loved him.

Taichi looked up to see Takaaki walking up to the edge of the roof. Taichi could not find the energy to stop him.

"It was an honor to meet you, Mr. Fujisaki. I hope our next life is kinder to both of us, and to our families."

"Taka!" Taichi finally shouted in vain, but Takaaki disappeared over the side of the building.

Taichi fell to his knees as despair overwhelmed him. He soon found himself curled up into a fetal position, quivering in undending mental and physical anguish. "T-Taka..." he whimpered, followed by cries for his wife and son. Their names almost lost all meaning to him by the time the others found him.

 

* * *

 

  
Taichi woke up in his bed, his breathing ragged and shallow. He had no memory of how he got there. In his blurred vision he made out two other figures in his room. Yukimaru sat at the desk twiddling a pencil between his fingers, and Kenshiro stood next to the door with his arms crossed. Taichi looked over to the nightstand and found his glasses resting there.

"You're awake," Kenshiro said when he saw Taichi reach for his glasses. Yukimaru looked over from the desk and sighed with relief.

"Hiroko told us to watch over you," Yukimaru explained as Taichi put on his glasses. "Everyone's kinda... worried after what happened."

Taichi wouldn't look them in the eyes. "So he's really gone, huh? I was hoping it was a bad dream."

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Yukimaru said, tapping a pencil against the desk. "Just when I thought things were going to get better, it's like the world collapsed on us all over again."

Taichi slowly moved the sheets off of him and swung his legs to the side of the bed to sit up. "So I'm guessing everyone knows now?"

"You should probably get some rest," Kenshiro told him, but Taichi shook his head.

"I don't think I'll be getting much sleep anytime soon," Taichi said.

"None of us are," Yukimaru admitted.

The room was quiet for a moment. The lack of noise only made Taichi more uncomfortable.

"So what now?" Taichi asked after some time had passed, startling both Yukimaru and Kenshiro.

"What do you mean?" Yukimaru asked with concern.

"What do we do now?" Taichi asked irritably. "Are we just going to be holed up in here forever?"

"Look, I know this is pretty much the worst case scenario right now," Yukimaru said, "but it's situations like these why we need to stick together. Those shitheads took our friends and families away, but we're still here. So we gotta be friends and family right now, for all our sakes. Know what I mean?"

Taichi glared at Yukimaru. "What are you trying to say? Are you saying I should just replace my family?"

Yukimaru held his hands up defensively. "Okay, maybe that was a poor choice of words. What I mean is we need to band up as brothers and sisters in order to survive."

"And how has that worked for us so far?"

Yukimaru stared at Taichi incredulously. "Dude, what is with you?"

Taichi stood up and walked to the door, but Kenshiro blocked the door.

"Do not make me force you to rest," Kenshiro warned him.

"Don't overexert yourself, Ken," Taichi said in an uncharacteristically cold fashion. "You're the one who should be resting."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Yukimaru stood up, panicking from the terrifying shift in Taichi's personality. "This ain't right, man! You're not yourself right now! Just... take a deep breath, and lie down. I know you're all fucked up right now, and I don't blame you. Shit hit the fan today. Everyone's fucked right now. Just... lie down and rest."

"He's right," Kenshiro said. "You are acting strangely. This would not be a good time to act."

Taichi grit his teeth at the both of them. Did they not understand what he had lost?  _Who_ he had lost? And yet they were trying to tell him how he should be handling it?

But Kenshiro would not back down, so Taichi had no choice but to stay in his room.

"Fine." Taichi admitted defeat and crawled back into bed. "Have it your way."

When Taichi eventually fell back asleep, a sweating Yukimaru sat back down at the desk to get his bearings. "Jesus, that was tense," he said quietly to Kenshiro. "I'm not even the one with the bad heart and today just took everything out of me. How are you holding up, big guy?"

Kenshiro let out a long sigh and held his hand to his chest. "To be honest, I'm surprised I haven't collapsed yet," he admitted.

"Well take it easy, okay?" Yukimaru told him. "We got some pretty bad news today. That fucking file, man... I had no idea Kanon had something like that on her."

"I haven't read the file yet," Kenshiro said. "When I saw how the others were reacting to it, I knew it would only worsen my condition."

"Good thinking," Yukimaru agreed. "It'd probably be too much for you all at once."

"Though it does worry me," Kenshiro added. "I recall several of us talking about loved ones being scouted into Hope's Peak Academy. If this news is what I think it is, perhaps it would be better if I never read that file at all. I'm not sure my heart will take it."

"I get what you mean," Yukimaru said, his head resting on his hands. "I'm really starting to wish I hadn't read it. Seeing my bro's name on that list... and Ishimaru's son, and... fuck me, how did I not realize it sooner?" He looked over at Taichi. "He even _looks_ like... and his name... Fuck!"

"Perhaps we should have communicated better," Kenshiro said. "Aside from Fujisaki and Ishimaru, none of us really talked with anyone outside of the meetings. And most of those meetings ended with arguments."

"Yeah..." Yukimaru mumbled, feeling guilty for some of the arguments he fed into. "I mean... Ishimaru was kind of an ass at times, but I kinda wish we had talked it out. I never would have wanted this to happen."

"Exactly. You shouldn't blame yourself for something you could not have known. Everyone has hindsight, but hindsight helps no one in these circumstances."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He looked up at Kenshiro. "You should probably get some rest though, y'know, if your heart is acting up."

Kenshiro frowned. "Are you going to be alright by yourself?" It was not that Kenshiro didn't trust Yukimaru, but he could tell by Yukimaru's occasional yawning that he was tired as well.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Yukimaru said, waving him off. "Don't worry about me, big guy. Get some sleep."

Kenshiro was hesitant, but he reluctantly complied. He was exhausted, and he knew he would be no help to anyone if he collapsed there in Taichi's room, so Kenshiro left the guarding duties to Yukimaru.

Unfortunately, Yukimaru underestimated how tired he actually was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... yeah. That was the chapter I was worried about, and now you know why. I hope you guys are still doing alright. Please remember to stay safe.
> 
> But man, it sure feels good to finally rip off this band-aid that I've had on for... oh my god, has it really been ten months?? Christ, where did all that time go?
> 
> Not sure how good I am at portraying loving fathers who had their entire worlds shattered to the point where they're not themselves anymore, but hopefully it's alright. I also hope I'm portraying Takaaki succumbing to despair well too. Looking back, I probably should've written more Takaaki scenes (and Kiyotaka scenes as well) to add more weight to this chapter. But my goal was to rewrite the ending of DR3 and give more attention to characters that were largely ignored, so maybe that would have been too much for me to handle. Well, like Kenshiro said, we all have hindsight, but it's often a useless thing to have.
> 
> Also, I've been meaning to ask this... Has anyone been having trouble with figuring out when certain events take place? Please let me know. I might consider adding in notes at the beginning of each jump in the timeline where the time and locations change if you guys are having trouble with it. But I'm hesitant about it because I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence either.
> 
> So yeah, hopefully the next chapter will be up within the next ten months. Wink.
> 
> (I swear I want to finish this fic, guys)


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